The Thin Line Between Us
by BePassionate24
Summary: SEQUEL TO: THE THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE& WAR. A/U & All Human. Elena Gilbert has survived getting out of The Vipers gang with her past behind her, she's finally moving on from her old life. But, what happens when a familiar face returns with answers that she needs and asking for her help in return. Will those once lingering feelings that sparked between them turn into something more?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey All! So, since many of you wanted me to write a sequel to "The Thin Line Between Love & War" Here it finally is! Please let me know what you think and if your just starting to read this story, I will be referring back to my old one and the old characters a lot so check out "The Thin Line Between Love & War" first before reading this one! **

**Thanks for Reading & Enjoy!**

**Let me know what you all think.**

**Follow me on twitter Green_Eyes1989 for updates! Thanks!**

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**Chapter 1-The Thin Line Between Us **

Elena had been out of the life that she had once feared the most. Yet, she still looked around every corner of a grocery store and she would scan every inch of a mall before she would feel comfortable enough to breath.

After Elijah and most of The Vipers gang had been arrested and thrown into jail for their criminal acts. She still felt as if living in New York City was the best choice. But, to be honest it wasn't the fact that it was the only place that she felt safe and had known for most of her life. She had tried going back to live with her parents in the suburbs, but it had only lasted for up to a month before they decided that they couldn't trust her and they started to blame her once again, for Jeremy never being found. Elena hated that her parents were blaming her for it, she hated that even though she had apologized to them over and over again, that they still looked at her as if she was a criminal, which made her feel as if she was thrown back into the life of gangs and drugs all over again.

So after her parents had scolded her on being into it all in the first place. Elena packed up all her bags and took off without another proper goodbye. After months of trying to get an apartment under her name, she had finally found a small studio apartment in downtown New York that would suit her needs.

It had been almost a year since she had heard anything about the still open cases on Elijah and Klaus Mickealson. She knew that there was still a possibility that the cops would call her to testify against him again and the thought of it all made her stomach sick. She couldn't face Elijah, after all the threats that he had thrown at her while he was still in jail, Elena was emotionally drained from trying to get a protective order against him...even though he was still in jail, he had some of his left over people in the now crumbling Vipers, contact her and try their best to make her new attempt at having a life, a living hell.

So, that's how she had ended up at the local police station, sitting in the detectives chair as her legs nervously bounced up and down from sitting to long. But, her face quickly softened when she heard the familiar voice of none other than the green eyed undercover officer that had saved her life.

"So, all I was saying was that he needs to go to jail and then the girl was like, ...I think I love you! I swear Damon, this job gets harder and harder each time I go under! So, how's the case going so far? I still can't believe that your part of our team now...Ha, I can't believe I'm about to even say this. But, I'm happy that you got your shit together brother!" Stefan laughed into the cell phone in his hands as Elena sat in the busy police station, her eyes locking on his back that was covered up by a black leather jacket.

She watched as Stefan turned and then suddenly as his eyes fell upon hers. She hadn't seen him in almost a year and the stubble on his chin and his over grown dark hair, instantly told her that he had just gotten back from another long and drawn out undercover mission. She watched as he eyed her up and down. His green eyes instantly darkened as they landed on her long lean legs that were covered by a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and her top, that was a dark red wine color as he watched her lean against the chair and cross her legs over each other.

"Damon, I need to call you back. Something just showed up and...I...I need to go." He told his brother quickly as he hung up the phone and watched as Elena smiled at him shyly.

"Elena Gilbert? Wow, you look stunning! What are you doing in New York City?" Stefan asked her with a smile on his face as he watched Elena get up from her chair and the familiar smell of her floral perfume and vanilla scented shampoo filled his nostrils as he inhaled deeply and Elena could swear that Stefan was trying his hardest to control himself.

He watched as Elena laughed and then she leaned into him and without thinking wrapped her small arms around his neck. "Thank you for saving my life! You have no idea how much you helped me. I'm alive because of you, Stefan." She told him as she felt his hands travel to her back and he held her tightly for a moment as she felt him nod his head.

He watched as she broke their hug , and smiled up at him. "I need a protective order against Elijah, he's still threatening me..he's saying that he doesn't want me to testify again and if I do...He'll send someone out to make sure that I don't." She told him sincerely as he watched her intertwine her fingers together nervously.

"Elena, Elijah's in jail. He's not supposed to be contacting you at all...we made sure of it when we sent him to Riker's Island...Him and Klaus." Stefan told her reassuringly as he watched her nod and then she smiled at him sadly.

" I know. But, he's still somehow contacting me. That's why I'm here, I need a protective order against him and his friends." Elena said in an unsure tone as she watched Stefan nod.

"Yeah, sure...I will get right on that." He told her as she watched him sit behind the same desk that she had been waiting in front of.

"So, what are you doing in this precinct? I thought that you were in Albany?" She asked him in a curious tone as she watched him tilt his head to the side in a bit of confusion, she somehow knew that he was originally from Albany. Yet, he hadn't ever really told her that information at all.

"How did you-" Stefan began to ask as he tapped his hands on a stack of papers in front of him nervously.

"How can a girl forget that a guy promised to keep her safe and help her...I also looked you up because I wanted to see if you were any closer to finding my brother?" She told him as she looked down at her hands and then back up at Stefan who was now looking at the computer screen in front of him, typing something.

"Oh. Elena, I don't know...I...We're still working on the case. It's now gone onto homicide." He told her as he swallowed the lump in his throat and heard her repeated his last word.

"Homicide?" She asked in disbelief as she watched Stefan shake his head.

"We've been looking everywhere for Jeremy. But, it's been so long since we've had a new lead that we think that maybe..." Stefan told her softly.

"He's not dead, Stefan! I know my brother and I can feel it..He's out there and he's still alive." She told him in a hopeful tone.

"Well, that's what Damon and I believe...We actually just got back from an undercover operation on another lead for finding him." Stefan said as he watched Elena's head snap up and a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"Damon and You? Your both doing police work?" She asked.

Stefan nodded as he looked over at her and tried to explain. "Yeah, Damon became an informant and now we use him for deep undercover ops. Like, the one that we're working on...He's actually still there and I came back to check on things." He told her quickly as she watched him turn to the printer behind him that was now printing out a document.

"Check on things?" She asked him as she watched Stefan give her a smile.

"You know that I can't tell you more than that.." His voice trailed off as Elena shook her head.

"Come on, Stefan..You told me a lot more than that when you were undercover...What's going on?" She asked him in a curious tone.

Stefan placed the freshly printed document in front of her as he handed her a pen. "We're looking for someone and we need a woman to go in with us, a female informant...someone who knows the ins and outs of the gang life..someone who could be under the radar for a while and be undetected." He informed her as she watched her eyes lit up and then she cleared her throat.

"So, I think it's funny that you came in here today. I personally think that you'd be good for it." He told her in a serious tone as he watched her sign the protective order and let out a deep sigh.

"Stefan, I'm not in that life anymore and I just-" She began to say as he cut her off.

"I know that you're not and that you don't want anything to do with that lifestyle anymore. But, just think about it." He told her.

Elena handed him the signed document as she watched him sigh and then place his hands across his seemingly even bulker chest.

"So, who would I be going in as...That was, if I did decide to go?" She asked him curiously as she to leaned back into the chair that she sat in and glanced over at him.

Stefan smiled widely as he looked over at her and he replied. "Well, Elena...Funny you should ask that question. If you did decide to go under cover with me and Damon...You'd be going under as my girlfriend." He said with a wink as he watched Elena's smile widen and her eyes lit up once more at his words.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO-The Thin Line Between Us**

He watched as she squirmed a bit and then looked over at him. "But, I'm supposed to be on call to testify against Elijah again." She reminded Stefan quickly.

He locked his eyes on hers and smiled before he opened his mouth to speak. "Well, the solution to that would be a 6-8 month operation that is in a secret location and we could find someone else to testify. Plus, you've already said all that's to be said against him and they have recorded videos and tapes on him as well." He countered as he watched her adjust herself in the seat she sat in.

"Who would take care of all my stuff while I was gone for that long?" She questioned.

Stefan nodded. "Aha, so what your worried about more is your new life here..Elena, this job would give you a chance to redeem yourself and we would assign someone to look after your things. Look, I'm not trying to pressure you into it because I know from experience how hard the decision to leave your life behind and go live someone else's is. So, all I'm saying is I want you to think about it. Take the night and call me in the morning." He told her as he handed her a card with his name on it.

Elena paused for a second and then she let out a nervous laugh as she locked her eyes on his hands, pushing over the card. " I don't need your number. Stefan. Your right...I have nothing for me here and I have nothing to lose except for passing up an offer to spend some time with the guy who saved my life when I needed it the most. So, I don't need to take the night to think this over. I'm in. I'll do it. When do we leave?" She asked him as he furrowed his brows and smiled at her widely.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" He asked her, clearing his throat as he watched her jump a bit at the sound of his voice.

Elena nodded at him confidently. "I have nothing keeping me here. So, like I said a minute ago. When do we leave?" She asked him with a smile on her face as she watched Stefan get up from behind the desk and nod his head in the direction towards the interrogation rooms.

"We need to fill you in first and...prep you for your roll. Let's go." He told her, as he got up and walked past a few of his colleagues who were eyeing him up and down as they watched them both disappear into an empty room.

Stefan closed the door behind him as he watched Elena sit down on one side of the stainless steel table in front of them and he pulled up a chair that was next to her, pulling a tan colored folder from under his arm as he smiled at her and flicked it up open with his wrist.

"In the next few hours, you're going to need to make sure that you have everything in order. We're leaving tomorrow morning. So, make sure you have everything situated before you leave and make sure that everything that says "Elena Gilbert on it...is left behind. Because once you get into my SUV in the morning you'll be known as Elena Flemming, my girlfriend of six years. You and I have a hot and heavy history together, but we stick together no matter what and in the past I have been an ass to you, but..we're madly in love with each other." He told her as he watched Elena nod her head in understanding.

"So, who are you going to be..not a low end drug dealer this time?" She asked again with a chuckle and Stefan shook his head, no.

"No. I'm playing a guy by the name of Stefan Murphy. I've been a high end drug lord for the last five years and I once again have a lot of connects throughout the states. And, I live in a fairly large house on the outside of the busy streets of Stockton, California. We're a very wealthy couple who also deal drugs. But, Damon is living in Oakland...wedging his way into the Italian mob and he's gathering as much information as he can for the guy that we're trying to take down." Stefan explained as he watched Elena nod once more before she asked him another burning question.

"So, Who's the guy we're trying to take down and what's the plan..another night club?" Elena asked curiously.

Stefan nodded as he flipped through the papers and then turned a piece of paper with a man's picture on it towards her. "His name is Alaric Saltzman and we think that Jeremy has been running with him and his gang. There one of the most sought out drug dealers in California and the drugs that they sell are killing all the young teenagers around town...We don't know exactly what they're selling yet. But, that's we're you come in..." Stefan's voice trailed off as Elena's eyes widened at him.

"What does this have to do with me? What's my job going to be?" Elena asked him curiously as he watched her eyes lock on his as he paused and then exhaled deeply.

"Well, Miss Gilbert. You're going to be running the club "Absinthe". He told her truthfully.

"You want me to run a club?" She asked as Stefan nodded and then handed her another piece of paper with the front entrance of the club on it.

"It's going to be our bait for all the drug dealers. Consider it there hangout and plus, since I'm one of the drug lords. I'm going to be needed to keep appearances up with my beautiful girlfriend. So, why not have her open up a club that attracts all of them in one place? Plus, your background of catering is going to help you out a lot and your good at this type of thing. I saw you at Elijah's club..it was like you owned that place. I have faith in you." Stefan told her with a smile as she shook her head in disbelief.

"You really think that I can do this? What if I screw up and ruin the whole operation?" Elena asked him a worried tone.

"That's why, I'll be there. To make sure that you don't. Plus, the quicker we pull this off..the faster we find out where your brother is." Stefan told her in a reassuring tone as he leaned over the table and grabbed her hand into his, comforting her nervous nerves as he glided his thumb across her soft skin and smiled at her with confidence in his eyes.

"So, I'll explain more on the way there in the morning. We have a long flight ahead of us and a long day tomorrow. Just, make sure that you leave your old life behind." He reminded her as he closed the folder and tapped his hand against the table that they sat at, silently hoping that they would both come out of this operation, together and most of all, alive.

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**A/N: Hey all! So that was Chapter Two! Please let me know what you think! **

**Thanks for Reading & Hope you enjoyed it. Oh and a quick disclaimer I do not own the Vampire Diaries or it's characters in anyway. I just use them for my stories :) Also, Please add this story and my others to your favorites or follow lists if you enjoy them! **

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989 **

**Thanks for reading & Until Next Time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE-The Thin Line Between Us **

The early morning came fast as Elena had given Stefan her apartment address so that he could pick her up as they got ready for their flight that left in just a few hours. She hadn't really been sure as to what to bring as she packed, but she knew that since they would be living in California for god knows how long that she needed to wear appropriate attire that would make her role as Elena Fleming, the rich night club owner and long time girlfriend of Stefan Murphy believable.

Just as she was about to throw in a low cut dress into her suitcase, she heard a loud knock on her door. Elena jogged over to it and smiled when she open it and was met with his darkened green eyes as he looked up at her and handed her a Styrofoam coffee cup.

"Good Morning, babe...you ready for this?" Stefan asked her with a smirk as he stepped into her apartment and closed the door behind him. He watched as her brown eyes widen at his words and then she cleared her throat to speak. "Isn't it too early for you to start calling me that?" Elena said with a shrug as she sipped on her coffee and nearly choked when he laughed and sat down on her couch.

"I remember the last time you and I were undercover...what was it that you had told me...oh, yeah...you and I were getting hot and heavy and you said... _By the way….If we sleep together. I just thought that you should know that you would be sleeping with your new informant…I can give you what you want in many more ways, than just one._ Yes, I specifically remember you trying to seduce me. So, me calling you "babe" this early in the game..shouldn't be that much of a problem." He commented as he placed his hands in his lap and watched as Elena blushed at his words a bit.

"I'm not like that anymore and plus, we were drunk." She countered as he let out a laugh.

"I don't remember being drunk...But, I do remember being very into you. What was the saying at the time...oh yeah. To hell with it then." Stefan said with a grin as he watched her crinkled her nose as she walked over to where he was sitting, crossing her arms over her chest as she exhaled deeply.

"Yeah, that was then. But, I've changed..I mean, I'm not like that anymore..Stefan, I left because you told me that I couldn't have contact with you...What was I supposed to do?" Elena asked in a nervous tone as she watched him get up and stand in front of her.

" Sure, you're not like that anymore...But, I bet deep down, you still are. You could have at least let me know that you were alive, that were living in New York! I worried about you and I had prayed that I would be able to see you again. Elena, I've missed you like hell and us ending whatever we had last year, was hard on me." He told her truthfully as he watched her narrow her brown eyes at him.

"We had a fling. Neither of us could make it anymore than that because you were undercover and I was Elijah's ex-girlfriend...I-" She began to say as Stefan cleared his throat and spoke.

"So, if we had been in different circumstances, would you have stayed with me? Do you think that we would of been able to have an actual relationship?" He asked her as she locked her eyes with his in confusion.

" I don't know. But, I wish I had. Because I missed you too. But, let's focus on this now...This isn't just for show is it, it's not just because we're supposed to be acting like a couple that's been together for five years and have a hot and heavy history..I mean, are you drunk or something or do you really mean what your telling me?" Elena asked him with a tilt of her head. She watched as Stefan took a few steps closer to her, his hand outstretching to touch her face.

His warm touch on her skin made her instantly close her eyes and just as she was about to say something to him, he leaned into her and kissed her lips softly. Clearing his throat as he watched her open her eyes before he spoke. "It's not for show Elena. I meant it when I said that I've missed you." He told her truthfully as he watched her blush, running her hands through her hair nervously.

"So, are we ready to go soon?" He asked her, stepping away from her for a moment as he looked her over and smiled.

* * *

His arm had gotten numb from her head that was leaning against it as the plane was up in the air. They had been flying for the last four hours and he could tell that she probably hadn't had her morning coffee because the more Stefan had talked about the case and the fact that their first stop would be to see Damon. Elena's eye lids kept closing more and more, and before he knew it she was lightly snoring on his shoulder.

"So much for that explanation." Stefan said under his breath with a laugh as he leaned over them and grabbed the blue blanket that was on the ground by his feet. He covered them both us with it as he leaned back into the blue and white fabric of the air plane seat and felt himself drift off too.

* * *

He wasn't even sure how long he had been asleep for, maybe it was at least a half hour before he felt her nudge him with her sharp elbow. "Wake up sleepy head! We've got a lot of things to go over." Elena commented with a smile as she glanced over at Stefan who huffed out a breath and groaned out of frustration.

"Now you want to talk about it...Alright, when did we meet and how?" He quizzed her.

"Ha, that's easy. I was working as a bartender in New York City and you came in with a group of your guy friends. Looking all sexy, might I add. We met when you told me that after my shift, you'd buy me a drink and hours later, you actually did. We talked for hours and then you just kept showing up. And after 5 years, we've been together ever since...Mr. Murphy." Elena told him with a wink as she leaned across the arm rest and trailed her finger tips up and down his arm.

"Elena..." Stefan nearly warned through gritted teeth as she kept tracing her finger tips up and down his arm.

"What, am I bothering you...I figured that you and I could go test that theory of "us" being a hot and heavy couple..I mean, they have to believe it...right?" She asked as she leaned back and let go of his hand. She then took her right hand instead and began to lightly trace the outline of his jaw with her finger tips as she felt his jaw tighten and he turned towards her.

"We have a job to do..Stop trying to seduce me." Stefan groaned as he grabbed her hand into his and tightened his grab around her small wrists, stopping her movements automatically.

"You were the one who said it yourself...and you kissed me at my apartment this morning..remember? I just figured that I could make up for you missing me...you know and we could make this more believable." She said with a wink as she grazed her fingers against his hands and she could tell that all she had to say was one more word and just like during their last assignment, Stefan would be all hers.

She watched him close his eyes and look over at her. He swallowed the lump in his throat with a gulp before he said "Your right..I did miss you and we should make this more believable, we have a reputation to keep up. Just tell me when.." His voice trailed off as he could smell the strong smell of vanilla fill his nostrils, her scent was intoxicating him.

Elena smiled widely, leaning towards him more. She left a chaste kiss on his cheek before she whispered into his ear. "Give me 5 minutes...The bathroom...We have a few more hours to kill on this boring flight and I know that both you and I could use something to calm our nerves. Remember Stefan..To hell with it." She said with a wink as she backed away from him and unbuckled her seat belt.

Stefan turned to the side and leaned forward a bit as he watched the familiar swaying in her hips. He swallowed hard as he thought about what it was he was getting himself into. Falling under the spell of the seductive Elena Gilbert all over again, surely was going to kill him quicker then a bullet wound to the chest would, that was if they somehow managed to screw this up.

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**A/N: Oh Boy! I hope you all liked this update as much as I absolutely LOVE writing the obvious tension between Stefan and Elena! Thank you guys for convincing me to do this sequel lol! :)**

**Anyways, Let me know what you think**

**-Until Next Time- **

**Follow me on Twitter for Updates & If you want to chat about TVD Green_Eyes1989**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR-The Thin Line Between Us**

" Five..Four...Three...Two...One..." Stefan counted under his breath as he watched the door close to the bathroom. He couldn't sit still for a minute as he thought about her. Elena had been his weak point a year ago and apparently Stefan still considered her his weakness. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, it was that whenever Stefan was around her he felt like a different person. He felt like he didn't have to worry about being the undercover cop in a dangerous high stakes game of cat and mouse.

As Stefan unbuckled his seat belt and was about to get up, he remembered the first time at Elijah's club when he had met Elena. Back then, she was part of the enemy's crew until he had figured out that she wasn't like any of them and it was at that point when he started to see her in a new light and over time he wanted to protect her from Elijah. So, maybe that's why when he had seen her in the police station a few days ago, he had felt like he owed her for everything that she had helped him with in his last undercover assignment and it occurred to him that she could solve her problems by 'disappearing' off the grid with him.

He slowly walked towards the back area of the airplane and knocked lightly on the door that was the only one that had been locked. He smiled mischievously to himself as he heard her small voice sigh and then just as she opened the door, Stefan looked to both sides of him to make sure no one was watching. When he was content that no one would notice, Elena yanked him inside of the small and cramped bathroom by the front of his shirt.

"Good God, Elena...-" Stefan said as she closed the door shut and wrinkled her nose at him. "Oh, shut up!" She said as she turned him towards her. Elena's butt was pressed up against the edge of the small sink as she leaned forward and kissed him.

Stefan groaned at the touch of her fingers, trailed against his belt buckle. "You know, whatever you were planning for us to do in here..I doubt that we're going to be able to do much without both of us getting thrown around from the turbulence." Stefan pointed out as he watched Elena frown and he sat down on the toilet seat cover.

"Oh, you would be surprised with all the things you can do in an airplane bathroom. Trust me." Elena counter with a grin as she watched Stefan look up at her with confusion written on his face.

"Why, do I have feeling that you've done a lot of different things in a bathroom before?" He asked with a laugh.

"Well, because I have." She commented with a wink as she pushed herself off of the small counter and then walked the small distance between them. Elena spread her legs and straddled his lap and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned into him, kissing the side of his face and making sure that her hot breath was on his earlobe when she spoke. "Is this what you were thinking about when you said...hot and heavy?" Elena whispered against his skin as she leaned down and trailed her fingertips underneath his black t-shirt.

"ummm...I guess..." Stefan said breathlessly as he felt her cool hands against his warm stomach. She was making him lose his train of thought with the fact that her finger tips were tracing the outline of his sides. Elena watched as he swallowed hard and closed his eyes, leaning his head towards the crock of her neck, kissing the exposed flesh.

"Stefan...what are you doing?" She asked with a giggle as he trailed his kisses up to her lips, placing his hands on each side of her as Elena ground into his body. She watched with delight as Stefan's green eyes widened and then he spoke with a raw voice. "Are you trying to kill me and seduce me all at the same time?"

Elena let out a laugh as she leaned her face towards him and just before she kissed him again, she spoke against his moist lips. "Maybe, I am. Do you have a problem with that Mr. Salvatore?"

Stefan shook his head silently as he deepened their kiss, getting up from the toilet seat as he felt her legs wrap around his waist. Stefan's hands ran through Elena's long brown hair as he kissed her roughly, sucking on her bottle lip as she nearly moaned into his mouth. Just as his hands found the hem of the bottom of her shirt, Elena exhaled deeply as she broke the kiss, leaning forward to place a kiss on his cheek. "Stefan, I..." Her voice trailed off as she felt his hands under her shirt, cupping her left breast, she let out a shaky breath.

"What..." Stefan said with a laugh as he began to unclasp her bra. But, just when Elena tried to speak again, there was a sudden knock on the door of the bathroom and they both froze.

"Ma'am! Are you okay in there, is everything alright?" The stewardess asked as Stefan once again began to unclasp her bra, his hands lingering on her backside as Elena tightened her grip around him.

"Stop it." She hissed playfully as she tried to swat at his hands and then she watched as he frowned. He smiled at her again with a quiet laugh as he kissed her neck, sucking on the soft and warm skin.

"Excuse me?" The stewardess asked in a questionable tone as Elena yelped, Stefan had no moved from licking and kissing to lightly nibbling on her neck.

"Yes, yeah! Everything's great." She replied quickly as she heard the stewardess sigh and walk away from the bathroom door.

"Stefan, your right. This was a bad idea." Elena commented as she unraveled herself from his waist and set her feet back onto the ground.

"So, can we just press pause and continue this when we have more space?" Stefan as he placed his hands on her over heated skin and watched her brown eyes widen with a surprised expression. Elena let out a chuckle before she nodded. "What, like a bed...in our spacious and lavish house in California..sure. But, just so that you know...this was just a preview of what you'll be getting. See you in a few minutes, Mr. Murphy." Elena said as she left a quick kiss on his lips and then pushed him back against the other side of the small wall in the bathroom, before unlocking the door and leaving him speechless. He was as good as dead when it came to his feelings for Elena and now there was no turning back on it.

* * *

Hours later, Stefan and Elena had said very few words to each other as they sat and listened to the pilot announce for everyone to buckle up and get back into their seats. They were finally to their destination and both of them were silently getting ready to live their new lives.

Stefan cleared his throat as he looked over at Elena who was looking out the window, glancing down at how much closer the state was getting as the plane swayed and circled around the landing strip.

"So, once we get off of this airplane. We're going directly to the house because I have a meeting with one of Alaric's guys and I'm going to let you get settled into the house. Damon and I are going to come and get you later so that we can look at the Absinthe club that you'll be prepping for its grand opening in two weeks." Stefan commented as he watched Elena's mouth curve into a smile.

"So, does Damon know that you're...bringing me with you?" Elena asked him curiously.

She watched as Stefan exhaled deeply and then he sighed. "No, Damon has no idea that I brought you into this and he's going to get one hell of a surprise in a little bit."

"In a little bit? I thought you said he was in Stockton?" She asked as she turned to look over at Stefan.

"Well, yeah. He was, but I asked him if he could pick me up from the airport. I don't trust any of the other guys and so Damon agreed." He told her casually.

"And so you failed to mention to him that I was coming with you?" Elena asked as she titled her head to the side, waiting for his response.

"Well, not like failed to mention. I...got a little distracted with things and I forgot." Stefan said with a grin as he grabbed her hand into his.

Elena shock her head at him with a bashful smile on her face. "You're horrible! Damon's going to get the shock of his life." She commented with a smile as Stefan just laughed and nodded his head. "That his is, Miss Fleming. That he is."

* * *

**A/N: Hey Guys! Hope you liked that little update! :) I had a lot of fun writing their sexual tension lol. Anyways, Damon is certainly going to be surprised! **

**Thanks for reading & Until Next Time :) **

**Follow me on Twitter at : Green_Eyes1989 for updates!**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE-The Thin Line Between Us**

They both heard as the plane's breaks hit the ground and they were jolted a bit in their seats. "So, remember. Once we get off the plane...we're-" Stefan began to explain as he looked over at her.

"I know. We're them." Elena responded with a confident tone as she watched the passengers start to unbuckle themselves and a few of them even stood in the aisles, watching to make their way out of the plane once it was at a full stop.

Stefan gripped Elena's hand tightly as he smiled at her when it was their turn to get off the plane. "You ready for this?" He asked her. She nodded at him with a smile as she watched him get up and grab their carryon bags from the compartment that was above their heads.

"Let's go." He said simply as he held out his free hand towards her. She smiled widely when she grabbed his hand into hers and then they made their way out of the plane.

Elena watched carefully as Stefan glance around and wrapped his arm tightly around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They made their way out of the terminal and she saw a smile creep upon Stefan's lips as they walked closer and closer to a man who had his back turned towards them. His hands were in his pockets and he was talking to a young woman who was flipping her hair back and forth, obviously trying to flirt with him.

"Damon." Stefan said his brother's name in an acknowledging tone as they watched the young woman step away from Damon and he turned his back towards her and to his brother instead.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Damon asked in an angered tone, scrunching his nose up in anger and surprise.

"I can explain. You just have to trust me on this one." Stefan said as he let go of Elena and patted his brother's shoulder. "Nice to see you alive." Damon remarked in a crude tone as he brushed past Elena and walked in front of them.

"Damon, I'm here to help." Elena tried to explain as she watched his shoulders tighten, turning around with a sarcastic grin on his face.

"Let's just hope we can pull this off. We have to get you back to the house and Stefan and I have a meeting with one of Alaric's minions. So, if we don't want to be late. We better get moving." Damon told them as he grabbed the bags from Stefan's hands and began to walk quickly in front of them.

* * *

It took them a half hour to get to the house that was up on a huge hill that over looked all of Stockton. It wasn't the safest area in town. But the neighborhood that they lived in was clearly one of the wealthiest. The house that Damon had parked in front of was huge. Three stories, a light tan color of paint and a cream colored brick that blended into the stucco of the house. The roof was grey and all the doors and windows had a light brown trim around them, including the three car garage.

Elena gawked at the house in the back seat as Damon parked the Mercedes into the driveway. "We're living here?" She asked in a shocked tone as she watched both Stefan and Damon laugh and nod their heads.

"Elena, when I said that you and I were very wealthy. I meant it." Stefan told her as he turned in his seat and smiled at her.

"What did we do, steal from drug dealers or...?" Her voice trailed off as she looked up at the brick balcony that looked like it was leading to the master bedroom.

"I'm a very wealthy man. Let's just say that. Unfortunately, for your safety. You think that I inherited most of this money from a family business that I own in downtown. That's my cover as far as you go. So, if anyone asks you what I do, you tell them that I'm a businessman. Not a lot of people are allowed to know that really I'm a drug dealer because that would start a very big war within the gangs and that's one major problem that we don't want to happen, or we're all dead." Stefan explained as he grabbed the handle to open the door and stepped out of the car, grabbing the house keys from his pocket.

"How are you getting back to Oakland?" Elena asked curiously as she watched Damon point to the car that Elena hadn't even noticed that was sitting in the driveway.

"That piece of crap is yours?" She asked him as Damon shook his head and laughed.

"Yes, Elena. I need to keep up my appearances too. Look, you might want to get inside the house. We've got a special guest for you." Damon told her with a smile as he stepped out of the car and went behind it, unlocking the trunk and grabbing their bags.

Elena quickly opened the door as she scrunched up her nose at the way the brothers were being so secretive with her.

"A guest? I don't need a babysitter!" She said in a defiant tone as Stefan and Damon shook their heads.

"She's not a babysitter, Elena. She's part of our team and she's going to be filling you on the rest of this assignment while Stefan and I go to this meeting. Besides, you might recognize her once you see her. I mean, granted it's been a very long time and she's changed a bit." Damon told her confidently as he stepped into the house and placed their bags onto the cream colored tiled floor underneath their feet.

"Oh sweetheart!" Damon called as he made his way through the house. As Elena walked into the house, she glanced at its vaulted ceilings and large crystal chandelier that hung above the front entrance. The walls were a dark mocha color and covered with pictures of Italy and other European cities.

But just as Elena was about to say something, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the dark haired brunette in a thin black dress, sitting at a barstool in the open and lavish kitchen.

"Wow! Here I was thinking that I would never see you again. Hm...Congratulations for still being alive and for helping us put Elijah away, where he needed to be." She told Elena with a grin on her face as she twirled her dark brown hair in between her fingers.

Elena watched in shock as she sauntered over to her in her signature black high heels that came up to her claves and her black short sleeve dress. "So, are you just going to stand there in shock or are you going to give me a hug. Besides, Elena. I think I owe you an apology." She told her as Elena watched her graze her hands against the glistening white colored tiles in the kitchen.

She was in total shock and all Elena could manage to say after clearing her throat was the name of the woman that she thought had been destroyed from the drugs, in which she had so heavily depended on while she was part of The Vipers. "Katherine."

"Nice to see you again, Elena. So, let's discuss the plans for the night club. Shall we?" Katherine asked in a sweet tone as she leaned over and hugged Elena's shoulder's tightly, nearly sending the young woman into a tail spin of emotions as she too returned the hug and shook her head in disbelief, having Katherine be the one to tell her more about the nightclub plans, wasn't part of the plan that Stefan had discussed with her and she was fuming inside at the sound of Katherine's cheerful and excited tone.

* * *

**A/N: So that was Chapter 5! Hope you all liked it. Let me know what you think.**

**-Thanks for Reading and Until Next Time-**

**Follow me on twitter at: Green_Eyes1989 for updates.**

**Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey Guys! So, here's CH.6! Enjoy & let me know what you think :)**

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX-The Thin Line Between Us **

"Hey! Before you leave. I need to talk to Stefan, alone." Elena told them as she eyed Damon and Katherine in a suspicious manner, turning on her heels and hearing as Stefan followed behind into a large office room.

She watched as he followed her, close on her heels and then just when she began to speak. He shut the door behind her. "What's going on!" Elena shouted angrily as Stefan tilted his head and smiled. "I can explain." He began to say as he smiled at her.

"Cut the shit! What the hell is Katherine doing in our kitchen..like she fucking owns this house! They better not be spending the night here with us because if they do...oh god!" Elena began to ramble, running her hands through her hair as she leaned against the desk that was in the middle of the room and exhaled deeply.

Stefan let out a chuckle as he fought the urge to smile at her. He slowly and cautiously walked over to where she was standing, placing his hands gently on her shoulders as she looked up at him with confusion. "Seriously, you never said that Katherine of all people was going to be here...much less helping me open the bar? What is that all about?" Elena asked in a flustered tone.

Stefan gently stroked her checks as he smiled at her. "Katherine's here for your safety. She knows the business and if anything happens while you're running the club. She will be your back up. Katherine can be trusted, I promise." Stefan told her confidently as he heard Elena let out a laugh.

"She can be trusted! Oh, that is just great. That's the same thing that Elijah told me after Katherine came into The Vipers and nearly got us both killed because of her attitude. We were going out to buy drugs from a dealer and Katherine told them that she needed to test the product first. Well, she choked and they got pissed off at us. Accusing us and telling us that we were calling their products fakes and stuff. I saved our asses and told them that she was new at this. Look, Stefan. Katherine may be able to be trusted. But, I'm not going to enjoy this today or for the next seven months!" Elena declared in a stubborn tone.

Stefan nodded, leaning into her as he felt her rest her head against his chest." I know you didn't trust her then. But, you don't really have a choice now. Maybe she's changed. Plus, everyone deserves a second chance." Stefan told her in a soft tone as he kissed the top of her head, feeling her wrap her arms around him tightly.

"I'll do it for you. But, you owe me!" Elena said as she lifted her head up from his chest and locked her eyes on his forest greens, before she kissed his lips softly.

"Let's go, Stefan! Hurry up love birds, we can't keep this guy waiting or we're all dead!" Damon shouted as he knocked loudly on the door, which forced Stefan and Elena to break apart from each other with an annoyed glance towards it.

"Your brother is NOT staying here tonight!" Elena declared as she released her grip on Stefan. She watched as he turned towards her with a grin. "No worries, Babe. Your all mine tonight! I owe you...remember? See you soon." Stefan told her as he opened the door and left the room with a glance at Elena's smiling face.

* * *

"Are you sleeping with him?" Katherine asked suddenly as they watched the brothers leave the house. They were already half way to the car when Katherine's curiosity peaked and she gave Elena a wide eyed smile.

"That is none of your business." She retorted quickly as she walked back into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing a cold bottle of water as she sat on one of the bar stools.

"Oh, Please! You were sleeping with Elijah a year ago and I knew about it! So, it won't take long for you to be sexing it up with Stefan..I mean, he's hot. I'd do him." Katherine commented as she took a seat across from Elena and watched as she rolled her eyes at her.

"Who wouldn't you sleep with. I mean, you practically slept with everyone in The Vipers...way before Damon came along and 'tamed' you." Elena commented as she heard Katherine laugh.

"Good point! But, seriously...I'd be careful with Stefan. Elena, you don't want another girl going after him..before you even get the chance. I mean, you're supposed to be a hot and heavy couple with a very interesting relationship...am I right?" Katherine asked in a sarcastic tone as she placed her hands on the counter top and grinned at Elena.

"I'm not going to answer that. Instead, I would rather get to this deal of you and I working together at the Absinthe. I'm the owner, that's my cover. What's yours...a stripper? That cover wouldn't be far off...you used to be good at it." Elena told her. She smiled widely when she saw Katherine nearly snarl at her, she had hit a nerve and part of her loved it.

"I was not a stripper!" She argued in a low and annoyed tone, glaring at Elena.

"Look, now that we've got that out of the way. I know that you and I have a really shitty relationship and as much as we both hate each other. We need to stay alive in this. So, seriously..What's your cover?" Elena repeated, this time with a much calmer and friendlier tone.

"Since I have more experience than you. I'm going to be getting into it with the crowds, making sure that they're happy. I guess you can look at me like the hostess and the bartender. My job is to report back to Damon and Stefan and you as well." Katherine explained as she glanced over at Elena, sliding over a yellow folder that read 'Elena Fleming' on it.

"What the hell is this?" Elena asked her, tapping her fingers against the folder that was under her hand.

"It's your reading material. I've read it and I know what I need to do. So, what's going to happen is this. I'm going to walk into the club, searching for a job. You and I are acting like we don't know each other..You're going to hire me and that will be that. Understood?" Katherine said, getting up from the bar stool and straightening herself out.

"Yeah. Katherine..." Elena began to ask as Katherine rolled her eyes at her. "Don't worry Elena, I won't touch Stefan. I've got Damon for my needs. Oh and, we're not staying here tonight...Seeing you at this club nearly every day will be enough. Don't forget to turn your camera's on..this time." Katherine said as she turned her back towards Elena, walking slowly out of the kitchen with her cell phone in her hands.

"Where are you going? Aren't we supposed to be here together until they come back?" Elena asked confused as she heard Katherine laugh. "The meeting was close by. It was short, just a quick introductory meeting and Damon texted me." Katherine told her, holding up her phone in the air and wiggling it around.

"The meetings done and they're coming home. Elena, I'm sorry about screwing up things with the drug buy all those years ago. I was new. I know you hate me for it, for nearly getting us both killed. But, you can trust me on this. We're on the same side, always have been really." Katherine told her before leaving out of the kitchen and then Elena heard the front door slam shut.

* * *

An hour later had passed as Stefan came home and waved out of the front door, watching as Damon and Katherine made their way back to their cover apartment in Stockton. He closed the door behind him and locked it as he turned his attention to Elena.

"I'm sorry that I left you alone with her. I mean, I know that-" Stefan began to say as he watched Elena stare blankly at the T.V., covering up her body with a blanket as Stefan walked over to where she sat.

He sat across from her with a weakened smile on his face. "I'm glad you didn't kill each other...if that makes you feel any better." Stefan told her with a laugh, watching her uncross her arms from her chest and turn her head away from the T.V. and towards him. A small smile formed on her lips as she looked at him and then she sighed loudly as she slowly got up from the couch and made her way towards him.

"I can handle Katherine. But, she was right about one thing though..." Elena told him as she sat on Stefan's lap. His hands on her hips as her position mirrored the same one from their bathroom rendezvous in the airplane.

"What was she right about?" Stefan asked her curiously, tilting his head to the side as his eyes glistening with nothing but trouble and lust for the brunette who was straddling his lap.

Elena pushed her hair to the side as she smiled at Stefan, leaning into him and grinding her hips against his body as he groaned at her. "You...Are...Going..To...Kill..Me.." He stammered as she ran her fingers over the stubble on his chin, grinning at him widely and leaning into his neck.

"Oh, am I?" She asked playfully, leaving a quick kiss on his neck, her hands running across his exposed skin and to the buttons of his dress shirt. He watched carefully as she unbuttoned each one, slowly.

"Elena...Damn it!" Stefan warned, pushing her roughly against the carpet. They both flew off the couch and onto the floor within seconds. He heard her body land with a slight thud as she let out a loud laugh.

"What?" Elena asked innocently as she ran her long nails up and down his now half un buttoned shirt.

"Stop screwing around. Your teasing me...and I can't even deal with it." Stefan told her, holding her in place underneath him as she squirmed slightly.

"Oh really? A big bad undercover cop like you, can't handle an innocent young woman like me?" Elena said in a seductive tone as she trailed her hands down to Stefan's belt buckle.

"Elena, we can't" Stefan protested, grabbing her wrist from trying to unbutton his jeans. Stefan watched her pout as she pushed him up and against the cushions of the couch that was behind them. She sat on his lap, both of her legs still straddling his waistline as she leaned into him, whispering against his ear. "Of course we can, Stefan. We're undercover...we can do whatever we please." She told him, pushing him back against the couch as she leaned into him, running her hands through his hair as Stefan swallowed hard.

"Your right..we're undercover. We can do whatever, we want, we're a couple after all..with a history." He told her, pushing her back against the floor quickly as he heard Elena let out a huffed out breath,losing his train of thought while the look in her soft brown eyes clouded his judgement.

"I take it..you want to test that theory..once more?" She asked, in a raw and emotion filled voice as she finally unbuttoned the last button on his shirt, exposing his tanned bare chest, running her warm hands over his skin.

"You have no idea..How much I have wanted to test it." Stefan smiled wickedly as he held himself up by his elbows, pinning both of her hands above her head and leaning into her. Stefan watched her shutter at his touch as he caressed her checks softly, before kissing her with a hunger filled, open mouthed kiss as he heard a moan escape her soft lips. The tables were now turned, Elena was putty in his hands.

* * *

**-Until Next Time-**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989**

**Thanks for reading! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey Guys! So, here's Ch.7! I hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think :)**

**Follow Me on Twitter for Updates: Green_Eyes1989 **

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN-The Thin Line Between Us **

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked her, his voice raw and his lips nearly burning for more. He was hovering over her as he heard her cry out, stopping his assault of kisses and instead he was gazing at her, his fingers were grazing the side of her face as she looked up at him.

"Yeah, I'm just..." Elena began to say as she ran her fingers against the collar of his unbuttoned shirt.

"What?" Stefan asked, pushing himself off of her and helping her off the floor, to her feet.

"My red lipstick is all over your neck...ha! Oh my god. Do you have another meeting with those guys?" Elena asked, her fingertips starting to button up her shirt again as Stefan stood in front her, his hands instantly stopping her hands. Elena smiled at him in an worried way as he stepped closer to her.

" Yeah, I do..Something with the club that we're going to be using as your cover. In about an hour. Elena, are you worried about me?" Stefan asked, his hands lingering on her shirt at he pulled her closer, his lips just inches away from hers.

"Maybe...Do you need a little brunette distraction?" She asked against his lips, before pushing him back against the couch. A sinister smile forming across her face as she climbed onto his lap.

Stefan swallowed hard as he ran his fingers through her hair, watching her silky brown hair fall between his hands as he locked his eyes with hers. "I know how to do my job. You don't need to worry about me. I know what I'm doing." Stefan told her, reassuring her in a confident tone.

"Are you sure..I mean, What if..." Elena began to say, swallowing hard as she too ran her fingers through his hair, playing with the few short hairs on the back of his head.

"Nothing will happen. I mean, if you really want..I can arrange for you to come with me. If you want. But, Elena this guy is dangerous and we need to make sure that our covers are solid." Stefan told her, his hands now resting on her hips, playing with the pockets on the back of her jeans.

"Solid..hmm...Oh, I think we've got that covered fairly well. Please Stefan, let me go with you to this meeting...I'm just going to make sure that my boyfriend comes home to me in one piece...I really don't want your beautiful face busted up because of some asshole." Elena told him, her hand caressing his jaw line as she heard Stefan gasp.

"Elena...you should go get ready. I need you looking sharp...remember your mine. I want them to see that, to feel it." Stefan told her, kissing her lips as he said the last sentence, feeling Elena push into him more. She had her hands around his neck, her lips roughly kissing his, tugging at the bottom of his lips with her teeth, which made Stefan groan with pleasure.

Stefan exhaled deeply as he pulled her closer with his hands, her hips nearly grinding into him as he suddenly felt her warm breath against his skin, leaving kisses against his neck and then back up to his ear. She was pulling on his earlobe with her teeth, licking his skin before she spoke. "Do you feel it? I want you to feel it too." Elena whispered in a seductive tone as she felt Stefan's hands travel up to her shoulders, slipping off her cotton button up shirt as she closed her eyes to his touch.

* * *

She wasn't sure when they had moved from the couch to her back being pushed up against a wall in the living room. It had all seemed like a blur of heat and skin. But, Elena's moans filled the living room and Stefan's ears as she wrapped her legs around his waist line and he pushed her up against the wall, forcefully. He was kissing her neck and leaving her in nothing more than her red bra and her half unbuttoned jeans. Stefan's moist lips lingered on her skin, half way down her shoulders and almost in between her breasts as Elena pulled his face up to hers, locking her lips to his roughly as he kissed her in a sloppy and passionate manner.

Stefan pulled away from her, watching her for a moment as Elena gave him a wild and sexy smirk. "What is it?" She asked him, running her hands across his bare chest, feeling as his muscles tensed under her touch.

"Fuck! We're going to be late." Stefan told her, glancing past her and to the large Roman clock that was in that living room.

"Oh great! Well..." Elena said, pushing herself against his body as she leaned into him. Her lips against his ear as she spoke in a low and rough voice."You might want to wipe off the red lipstick marks on your neck...I don't want them to think that you and I were playing too rough with each other. I'd hate to be the reason for us being late...Mr. Murphy." Elena said as she backed away from Stefan, leaving him wordless as she threw him a flirty glance over her shoulder and walked away, disappearing down the long hallway and into their bedroom to change.

* * *

Stefan was dressed in a black short sleeve shirt, a pair of dark washed jeans and a leather jacket as he waited for her. He was silently hoping that he wouldn't have to wait very long and if that would be the case, he would have to leave her behind. Yet, really..He didn't want to.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob to the front door and he had pulled it wide open. Stefan heard the clicking of her black high heels and all he could see in front of him was her lean long legs, her black dress was strapless and it had a strip of lace on the side of her hips, the black fabric tightly hugging every curve around her chest as her long brown hair swayed behind her from her walking up to him.

"So, what do you think...appropriate enough for a hot gangster's girlfriend?" Elena asked with a wide smile as she twirled around and watched as Stefan's eyes almost bulged out of his head from the way her body moved in front of him.

"umm...I...Ha, yeah. You look gorgeous and hot as hell..I kind of wish that we could skip this thing all together...and I could do more to you than just push you up against that wall... And I just hope that you don't kill them all with your looks when we walk in there. The guys name is Aaron and he's a bit of a hard ass and a sneaky snake. He one of Alaric's man guys and once we get in with him...then, we can figure more out about Alaric. So, you're going to need to be close to me while I talk to him. Do you understand?" Stefan asked her as he watched Elena blush, her cheeks turning red at the knowing fact that he had blatantly told her that if it was up to him, he'd rip the damn dress right off of her and miss the meeting with the buyer for the club all together.

"So, Aaron..A hard ass...hmm...He won't like hit on me, will he?" Elena asked curiously as Stefan grabbed her hand into his, shutting the door behind him as they walked to the black Audi R8 that sat in the driveway.

"No, because if he tries..I'll kill him." Stefan told her as he unlocked the car and walked over to the driver's side.

"What happened to the Mercedes?" Elena asked in confusion as she leaned against the tinted window of the Audi and saw that it had black leather seats and a large stereo dash with a navigation system.

"We're keeping up appearances, Remember?" he said with a wink as he slide into the driver's seat and Elena followed shortly behind. Stefan smiled at her bashfully as he turned the car on and it roared to life.

"When the hell did they take the Mercedes?" Elena began to ask again, just as Stefan lifted up his hand and placed it on her lips, silencing her instantly.

"Sweetheart, I don't have time to worry about that car. I have to worry about this guy Aaron, making sure that we don't screw this up and being able to focus on the task at hand..which is going to be one hell of a challenge with you looking so sexy in that dress that I just want to rip off." Stefan told her as he put the car in reverse and they sped off down the road.

* * *

After a 20 minute drive to downtown and a nearly silent car ride, Elena had been nervously playing with her hands as Stefan parked the car in front of what looked like a nearly empty rundown club and looked over at her.

"Hey, You can do this...This is the Absinthe night club and bar that you're going to be purchasing today. I know that it doesn't look like much. But, after the guys from the department come in and help you..It's going to be the spot where we nab most of these gangster's and drug guys. Elena, I will be right here with you, every step of the way. I promise." He told her truthfully as he grabbed her hand into his and squeezed it tightly.

Elena gave Stefan a warm smile as she glanced over at him. "I know you will, you made me a promise of helping me find my brother. So, whatever we need to do until he's home and safe. I am doing it all with you by my side." She replied as she leaned into Stefan and left a quick kiss on his lips.

He smiled at her, caressing her cheek softly as he spoke. "I did make you a promise that I intend on keeping. So, let's go in there and show these guys who we are. Are you ready Miss Fleming?" He asked, straightening his jacket and pulling the keys out of the ignition.

"Yes. I'm ready." Elena said with a smirk as she opened the passenger side door and stepped outside into the cool California breeze.

* * *

The club was nearly empty and really run down as Stefan opened the door and they both stepped inside, hand in hand and stone cold expressions on their faces as they walked past the empty bar and a few men that were talking amongst themselves stopped and turned around.

"Hey! Can I help you?" One of them asked, nearly falling out of his chair when he eyed Elena up and down and he saw her smile at him.

"Yes, in fact you can. My name is Elena Fleming and this is my boyfriend, Stefan Murphy. We're here to see Aaron." Elena told him, her face seemed distant and ice cold as the man licked his lips at her and cleared his throat.

"Well, sweetheart Your looking at him. You've come to the right place..But, you shouldn't have brought him with you. Your man over hear with his face like a stone is killing my mood." Aaron told her, still keeping his eyes squarely on the swaying of her hips as she took a step back and grabbed Stefan's hand tightly.

"He's here for my protection. I'm sure you'd understand." She said with a smirk, looking over at Stefan who gave her a small smile. He was letting her take control of the situation and part of him was beaming inside at the fact that it seemed like Elena knew exactly what she was doing, she was a natural.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks For Reading! :) Until Next Time and Don't forget to follow me on twitter at: Green_Eyes1989 Since that's where I post my updates at too! :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey Guys! Here's Chapter 8! Hope you all enjoy and Thanks for all your awesome reviews! :) Enjoy and let me know what you think! **

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT-The Thin Line Between Us **

"You're protection? From where I'm standing you look like you can fully take care of yourself. You don't need him at all." Aaron told her, her face just inches away from his as he sneered at her.

"Well...That's your opinion. Do you even know who this man over here is?" Elena asked him, running her fingertips up and down Aaron's gray shirt, giving him a flirtatious smile.

"Stefan..Murphy. Yeah, you said-Holy shit! Your Thee Stefan Murphy..." Aaron said, shocked and a bit of fear in his voice as he stepped away from Elena and locked his eyes on Stefan's cold glare.

"Yeah. So, glad that you've heard of me. Look, Aaron...was it? We need to have a little chat..privately." Stefan told him, taking a step forward as a sudden shaken up Aaron, took two steps back and nodded.

"Oh, well...Follow me." He told them, walking down a half dark hallway that lead towards a beaten up and nearly crumbling office room. Elena walked in first, a smile still playing on her face as she turned and watched as Aaron closed the door.

"Let's be straight here. Stefan and I don't have time to negotiate with you...frankly nor do I want too. So, I am willing to make you an offer that you're not going to be able to refuse. But, that will be in exchange for this club and it will be explained over time. What do you say Aaron?" Elena asked him, watching as he followed her body up and down with his eyes. An intense gaze hitting her as he watched her walk over to the desk and sit on the corner edge, locking her eyes on him.

"I...I..um...What's in it for me?" He asked, turning away from Elena briefly and looking over at Stefan. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was looking at Aaron, like if he just one wrong move, he'd kill him without having a second thought in his mind about it.

"Let's just say, that you will be very well taken care of...just a simple trade. Your help, for this club." Stefan told him, walking forward as his face softened and he watched Elena slide off the desk and straighten out her dress, turning around and walking over back to where Stefan had stood.

" Help..What help?" Aaron asked as he looked over at Stefan who was still leaning against the wall.

" I want you to tell me who you work for and if that guy owns this club.." Stefan told him with a calm smile.

"Okay. Fine. I work for Alaric Saltzman, He's the one who really owns the place. He wants to sell it so, it shouldn't be a big problem at all. Maybe you guys can make a profit off of this...Please, with Stefan being who he is and knowing who he does...You're a very well known man in these parts and you shouldn't have a problem with getting customers." Aaron told him, certainty in his voice as he gave Stefan another nervous smile.

* * *

"Alaric is your boss?" Stefan asked him, trying hard to hide the surprise in his voice and acting as if he was dumbfounded at the fact that Aaron was one of Alaric's minions.

"Yes. Do you know him personally?" Aaron asked, getting up from his chair and stepping in front of Stefan, locking his eyes on him.

"Well, I've heard about him, around town and stuff. He's just as well known as I am around here. You know what...How about you call Alaric and we can set up a time for him to come out and meet with us." Stefan told him.

Aaron laughed nervously and then looked over from Stefan to Elena, shifting his eyes and weight on his feet. "Well, the thing about Alaric is that he only does one on one meetings. Mr. Salvatore..." Aaron told him in a informative manner.

"Well, you call him and I'll meet with him. I'm sure he'll love my offer...all cash for this club. Look, Aaron. Put a rush on it because we don't have all day and I'm planning on buying this for Elena as an anniversary gift...It's going to be our 7 year anniversary of being together in a month of two. So, I want to make it special." Stefan told him, looking over at Elena briefly as he winked at her.

She had been standing against the wall, watching it all play out as she heard Aaron smile at her. "Well, you're a lucky man to have a woman like that. If I were you, I'd keep her close...a girl like that could easily get snatched away with the wrong type of guys that are in Stockton." Aaron told Stefan, walking over to Elena with a wide eyed look. He walked around her as Stefan watched in disgust when Aaron smirked. "You know, Stefan...Elena here is a real beauty." Aaron told him, watching as Stefan exhaled a breath through his nose, his body tensed as he watched Aaron's hand graze across Elena's backside, he was trailing his hand up and down her back about to touch her rear end as he spoke in a husky tone.

"Is there any way you can share her...you know...I could sleep with her and-" Aaron started to say, just as Elena spun around and slammed his back against the wall, her arm was tightly pressing on his wind pipe and his fingers were pinned against the wall.

Elena's face was detached and ice cold as she locked her eyes on Aaron's shocked facial expression. In a low and threatening tone, she spoke to him as a devious smirk played on her face. "The only guy who's going to be doing anything to me in bed is him over there...So, if you think that you'll ever touch me...Think again. Because if he doesn't kill you first, I won't hesitate for one minute to rip you apart and..." Elena told him, watching as Aaron's face started to go pale and his breathing became staggered from the fact that her arm was pressing into him.

His eyes grew wide as Elena smiled again and leaned into him a bit closer, calm and collected. Her voice was now steady and much more threatening than before as she lowered her lips against his ear and spoke into it. "These pretty little muscular tan fingers would be the first ones to go and Stefan won't spare you any mercy, if you ever touch me in front of him, ever again..Do I make myself clear?" Elena told him, pulling her head back, smiling in a satisfied manner that she had gotten through to the dirt bag.

Aaron nodded weakly, still gasping for breath as Elena released the pressure she held against his throat. She watched as Aaron gasped for breath again, bending down and holding his hands tightly against his knees. They watched as he looked up at them from heavy eyes as he spoke in a helpless tone. "Okay. I get it. She's your girlfriend! Good God she could have killed me. Is she always this moody."

Stefan shrugged as he smiled at her proudly, watching as Elena stepped beside him, smiling in a threatening way as she wrapped one arm around Stefan's waist, pulling herself closer to his body as he leaned over and swung open the door to the office room that they were in. "Yes, especially when she doesn't get what she wants..." Stefan told him with a wink as he watched Aaron finally regain his breath.

Stefan stepped out of the office with a smile as he waited in the hallway for Elena who was still eyeing a very scared and not so flirtatious, Aaron. "Okay, I'll make the appoint with Alaric so that Stefan can meet with him and I won't be hitting on you anymore, your obviously not like the others that walk into this club. Will that calm you down?" Aaron told her, crossing his arms lightly across his chest, looking at Elena straight into her eyes.

"Well, it might and it might not. But for now, you won't be losing any limbs. Consider yourself lucky Aaron...not all of my victims live to see another day. Tick Tock...We'll be waiting for an answer." Elena told him, slamming the door behind her, an evil smirk forming on her lips as she walked down the hall with Stefan following behind her and holding her hand tightly into his.

* * *

"What the hell was that Elena!" Stefan asked, turning towards her once they had gotten outside and were already in front of the car, letting go of Elena's hand that he had been holding once they had left the office room.

"You told me that you wanted them to know that I was yours...I was just making it crystal clear that I belong to you. They all obviously know who you are and so, I wanted the word to spread." Elena told him in a confident tone as she watched him lean against the driver's side. She was watching him cross his arms over one another, the shirt that he was wearing was accenting his biceps and watching him lean against his car, made something inside of Elena nearly want him all over again.

"I know that. But, you can't go around and threaten every single thug that we encounter. You're a beautiful woman and that's just how these guys are.. They will try to make a pass at you. You should know this by now. " Stefan told her in a stern tone, watching as Elena pouted at him.

"Yeah I know that. But, I'm so used taking care of myself. Of having to fend them off by myself. I guess my mood gets the best of me." Elena explained, taking a step closer towards him, watching as his green eyes widened and he licked his lips.

"You don't need to do that anymore..That's why I'm here. To fend them off for you. But, I have to admit..that was kind of hot. The way you threw him up against that wall and were all sexy and threatening." Stefan told her, placing his hands onto each side of her cheeks, brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face with his thumbs.

"Oh was it now?" Elena asked a playful tone in her voice and a smile on her lips.

"Oh yeah, I like it when you take control like that..." Stefan told her, leaning into her and locking his gaze onto her lips. But, just as he was about to kiss her. The cell phone that was in his pocket began to ring.

Elena took a step back as she watched Stefan curse under his breath and pull his cell phone out of his jeans. "Who is it?" She asked him, watching as he looked down at the caller I.D. and then back up to her as he cleared his throat and replied. "It's Damon."

Stefan answered quickly as he turned away from Elena to open the car door. "Hey, What's going on?"

"Stef. It's Katherine. I got back from a meeting with one of these other guys we're trying to take down...I...I found her unconscious in the tub. The doctor's are saying that she overdosed on some shit and they had to pump her stomach, she's at the hospital near Oakland right now. I'm here with her, trying to call the damn department and notify them of our situation..sorry bro. I...just..I..don't know what to do and I didn't know who else to call." Damon told him in a hurried and terrified sounding voice.

"Damon, everything is going to be just fine. We're on our way there. Text me the directions to the hospital where you're at. Just hang tight..We'll be there soon." Stefan told him in a reassuring tone, nodding to Elena to get into the car quickly so that they could get there as soon as possible.

* * *

**-Until Next Time- Thanks for reading!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989 **


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE-The Thin Line Between Us-**

Rushing past the nurses and the security guards at the hospital, Stefan held Elena's hand tightly as he scanned the waiting room. He looked all around and when he heard his name being called from across the room, his heart sank. There Damon was, his hands on his head in frustration and what looked like moisture on his cheeks.

"What happened? Where's Katherine?" Stefan asked his brother as they met him half way. Damon looked pale and like he couldn't stand and when Elena looked at him, she noticed that his hands were shaking a little.

"Katherine had a drug overdose. She...she swallowed some pills from a buy that we did two days ago after her and I got into a fight. I already talked to the department. Tyler Lockwood said that he's taking her off the case. Apparently, he's bringing in someone new to run the bar with Elena and I'm going to be riding solo." Damon explained, exhaling deeply as he looked at them, confusion in his eyes as he noticed how nicely dressed they both were.

"Where the hell have you two been?" He asked, curiosity in his voice as he looked over a Stefan and then his blue eyes lingered a little too long on Elena before Stefan cleared his throat and explained. "We've been at a meeting for the nightclub...One step closer to meeting with Alaric. The guy we met with is supposed to call us. Once, he finds out if Alaric will take our offer or not." Stefan told him, gripping Elena's hand tighter as they all stood in the waiting room eagerly waiting on news about Katherine and the fate of their undercover operation.

* * *

Stefan watched as Damon paced the small waiting room, nearly digging a whole into the carpet with his shoes as he walked back and forth nervously. "You know, she's going to be just fine. Damon, she's in the best hands." Elena told him in a soft and warm voice, hoping that her words would calm him.

Damon laughed a small chuckle, shaking his head as he stopped and turned to face Elena. He kept his eyes glued to hers as he spoke in an irritated tone. "That's exactly what those idiots at the rehab clinic said last year when Katherine went in after she over dosed and nearly died from cocaine! So, excuse me Elena if I can't be more optimistic about her future...because, if she keeps it up! She won't have one and I'll have to deal with that, to deal with knowing that I couldn't do enough to save her from this hell she's in!" Damon told her, watching as Elena flinched at his raise in the sound of his voice.

As much as they both tried to help him stay positive and look on the bright side, Damon was right. If Katherine slipped up, just once and did another drug...she'd be dead by the morning and there would be no one or anything that could save her from herself.

They all looked up as they heard Damon's name being called. "Mr. Damon Salvatore..?" The doctor asked, watching as Damon gave him a weak smile and walked to his side.

Stefan and Elena kept their eyes on the two until they disappeared down the hall and off into what looked like the Intensive Care unit. "Do you think she's going to make it?" Elena asked, turning towards Stefan in her chair. She exhaled deeply as she felt Stefan's arm around her and then she rested her head against the wall behind them.

"I don't know. But, I really hope that she get's the help that she needs...I just-" Stefan began to say, just as his cell phone rang in his hand and he looked down at the caller I.D.

"I'll be right back..give me a second." He told Elena as he got up and left her sitting all alone in the waiting room, wondering if Katherine was going to make it out of this mess that she was in.

* * *

"Glad to hear that you and Elena haven't screwed up yet!" Tyler told him with a laugh as he heard Stefan exhale.

"Thank God it's you! I thought that it was going to be that Aaron guy, calling about the night club." Stefan explained, leaning against a wall in an empty hallway of the hospital wing.

"No. Well, it is kind of funny that you mention the night club. I'm calling to let you know about Katherine's replacement." Tyler informed him.

"Aha..So, who is it and where are they going to be staying?" Stefan asked him. Hearing as Tyler laughed and then replied with an excited tone.

"You've met her before Stefan...Your old partner from when you were a rookie...she's your short lived relationship that you guys had...ages ago!" Tyler's trailed off, his voice trying to hide what Stefan already knew by just the two clues that he was giving him.

"You're bring her in? You have got to be kidding me! Isn't that like a conflict of interest! And oh come on, Tyler! You stole her from me...Her and I just had a hot fling..that was it..in the back of a squad car one night, really it doesn't classify under a relationship what so ever. But, it would have been more if you hadn't become her training officer! Plus, She's kind of your fiancé now!" Stefan argued, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest and listened to Tyler continue to explain.

"Ha! That she is..Anyways, She's going to be staying with you and Elena in the house for a little bit until we figure out where to place her. Because, god forbid she ends up being in the same room as your brother...she helped catch him once..she arrested him, threw him to the ground after he had stole something..nearly broke his legs from the swift kick to the shin's she gave him with her baton..Let's just say that they don't get along very well..at all!" Tyler told Stefan, emphasizing on his last sentence, making sure that Stefan understood.

"Fine! I'll make sure to keep them separate! So, when does she arrive?" Stefan asked, watching as a nurse walked past him, pushing an elderly patient in front of her.

"She should already be there..actually. I told her what happened and to meet you and Elena there. Since, I figured that you'd be there a while..until they discharged Katherine or whatever." Tyler told him, smiling widely as he thought about Stefan's face once he came face to face with his old partner. Yes, the two hadn't been involved romantically for years and they had pretty much had decided to remain friends. But, Stefan hadn't seen her in a good two years, since she had moved to a different police station and was going back to school to become a criminal investigator.

He told Tyler that he had to go and hung up the cell phone in his hands. Stefan pushed himself off of the wall as he walked back to Elena. He exhaled deeply and felt his body go numb when he saw _her_ sitting beside the brunette.

"Caroline Forbes! Just when I thought I would never see you again...Here you are!" Stefan told her, watching as the blonde lifted up her gaze, locking her eyes on him and smiling.

"Stefan Salvatore...What are they calling you these days...Mr. Murphy? I like the sound of that...way better than...Mr. Davidson...He was kind of boring." Caroline told him with a wink as she watched Stefan shake his head.

"I agree with you, Miss Caroline Williams...He was a bore." Stefan told her with a smirk, sitting down, between the two women that he was going to be spending a lot more time with, his current undercover girlfriend and his one time lover.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! So what did you think about the little twist of bringing Caroline as Katherine's replacement? **

**Hope you all enjoyed this somewhat short update!**

**Please follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989 or add this story to your favorites/follows if you like it! :)**

**-Until Next Time-**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey All! So, here's CH.10! Hope you guys like it. The action is building up and in the next chapter I'll be doing a little fast forward (a few days/weeks later or so) just to get it moving along more. :) **

**Thanks for reading & Enjoy!**

**Follow Me on Twitter for Updates or if you want to just chat about the show: Green_Eyes1989**

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN-The Thin Line Between Us- **

Stefan stood with Elena and Caroline by Katherine's hospital room, listening as Damon scolded her like a small child about the drugs, the secrets that she was keeping and the fact that she was off the case for now, until they could figure out if they even wanted her back in or not. It was up to the department as far as they were concerned and it wasn't going to be a simple decision to make.

"What other things are you lying about Katherine! Damn it! How could you have taken the drugs. You've known for the last two weeks that we need to get a cover set up, that you and Elena would be working together...Now, because of you being irresponsible, they had to bring in someone else!" He shouted, fury in his voice as he heard her gasp.

"What! They brought in someone new? Why would the department do that, Oh come on Damon! I took one shot of cocaine because..I-" She began to say, watching as Damon got up from the chair he was sitting in and nearly hissed at her.

"Because you, what? Wanted to make me worried about you..because you wanted attention! Katherine, if you were pissed off at me you could have gone on a damn walk or something! Not, snorted or whatever the hell way it was that you did the damn drugs! The drugs that we needed to seize over to the damn Police Department that we work for! You know, I'm done, with you for the moment. Have a safe flight back to the rehab clinic. I guess I'll be seeing you when you return!" Damon told her, almost slamming the door behind him as they heard Katherine's soft cries escape her throat and watched as Damon stormed off in the other direction of the hospital, not saying a word as he just nodded at Stefan and walked away.

* * *

"What are we going to do now?" Caroline asked, sitting down and taking a coffee cup from Stefan's hands as she frowned up at him, this whole drama between their two informants was going to bring this operation down way before it even got underway.

"So, she obviously hates the idea that I'm here...It kind of makes me want to go and introduce myself..Is she really an ex-user?" Caroline asked, watching as Elena gave her an appalled look.

"Well, Stefan was thinking that you and I should go over our plans for what we're going to do once we get the night club ready and then, we need to make up your cover story. What are you going to be...For example, I'm the owner...and-" Elena began to say as Caroline cut her off.

"Ha, I don't need to run it by you, Elena. I've read all about the club and your cover. Besides, I'm going in as one of the waitresses...I'll have a wire so whatever goes on..It'll be recorded, you seem to be forgetting that I have a lot more experience than you at this thing...I'm the undercover cop in this situation and you're just an informant that we need to make sure, doesn't get herself killed...so, you might as well just follow my lead." Caroline told her, sipping on her coffee and running her hands through her hair as she watched Elena huff out an annoyed breath, this under cover waitress idea was going to be way more fun for Caroline, then she had ever thought it could be.

* * *

"She hates me...right?" Elena asked Stefan, using the excuse to talk to him in private as Caroline strolled the halls of the hospital for some cafeteria food was genius. Up until the point that he smiled at her and laughed.

"She doesn't hate you! Elena, she just doesn't know you like I do. In Caroline's eyes, everyone in this profession is a criminal and she treats them all like one until she warms up to you. Just give her time...you'll see working with her won't be that bad." Stefan told her, pulling her into his arms as he heard her exhale a breath_..."I'm the undercover cop in this situation and you're just an informant that we need to make sure, doesn't get herself killed...so, you might as well just follow my lead."_ Elena mocked her words under her breath as she held onto Stefan's shoulders, burying her head into the curve of his neck.

"Fine, I guess you're right. I'll give her a chance. Let's just hope that neither of us want to kill each other as much as I think Katherine would love to kill her at the moment for taking her spot on the team with us." Elena told him, feeling as he inhaled deeply and sighed.

"Elena, I.." Stefan began to say as the buzzing in his jacket pocket picked up and he released her from his grip, pulling out his cell phone as he answered it without even looking at who it could be.

"You have no idea how long I've been calling around for your number Mr. Murphy. You truly are a hard man to find. But, a popular one at that. Aaron told me about your little meeting and I was hoping that you and I could have a chat of our own...Just the two of us...you know, drinking beers, chatting about the bar. The fact that your gorgeous girlfriend is wearing that amazing black dress that curves her hips and makes her look so damn irresistible...opps, did I say too much?" He told him. Stefan could hear the taunting in his voice as he laughed.

"How did you find me? Where are you, let's meet now. Just you and me. No one else." Stefan demanded, grabbing Elena's hand into his and pulling her closer to him as she gave him a confused look. She watched as Stefan gripped her tighter and looked around the small park area that they had gone to, outside of the hospital grounds.

"Now, Mr. Murphy... That's for me to know and for you to find out..No need to get all protective of your girlfriend..it's not her that I want, I want you, Stefan...we have a lot of things to discuss and I'm sure that once I get you hooked on what I'm selling, you'll never be the same again..." He said, an icy laugh escaping his lips as he watched Stefan from his black Lincoln town car that was parked in the parking lot, across from the hospital grounds as he rolled down the window and waved his hand out.

Stefan looked all around the park until he saw a black car parked illegally sideways in the parking lot, a man's hand sticking out from it and waving at him.

Elena watched as Stefan let go of her hand, running his hands through his dark brown hair as he hung up the cell phone and gave her a knowing look. "What's going on..who was that?" Elena asked, curiosity and fear in her voice as she watched Stefan's green eyes dart from her and back to the man that had now stepped out of his car, leaning against the driver's side.

"Listen to me, go back inside that hospital. Stay with Caroline and do not leave her side under any circumstances. This is very important, Elena..do you understand me?" Stefan told her, holding her face gently in his hands as he brushed her cheeks with his thumbs, following her confused gaze that was locked on his eyes.

"Stefan please..tell me what's going on." She begged, wrapping her arms around him as he kissed her lips softly, silencing her pleas. "I promise you that once I figure out what he wants, then we'll talk. I don't know how long I'll be. But, I love you and I'll be home tonight sometime. Okay?" He told her once more, kissing her lips again and then letting go of her.

Stefan turned to leave as Elena shouted at him. "Stefan, Please! Who is that and what does he want with you?" Elena tried again, pleading in her tone as she rested her hands at her sides and watched him walk away from her.

"It's Alaric. I don't know what he wants. But, I do know that he and I need to talk." Stefan told her over his shoulder as he stopped for a moment, catching one more glimpse of her before he walked into what he knew was probably going to be a trap, once again thrown into the game of cat and mouse but with a much more dangerous villain.

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh...What does Alaric want with Stefan and why did Stefan tell Elena that no matter what she had to stick by Caroline's side...? Hm...**

**-Until Next Time- ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys! So, here's CH.11. This update is going to help the story move along.. :) I decided to change it a bit from my original comment from my last update. This is still set the same day that Stefan goes to talk to Alaric, leaving Elena in front of the hospital.**

**Anyways, Enjoy & Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN-The Thin Line Between Us-**

The war was brewing and she could feel it as she watched him walk away from her, the feeling of his lips still on her mouth as she saw Stefan climb into the car and then it disappeared. His words of 'I love you' still rang in her ears as she tried to make sense of it all. Was it part of his cover? Or did he really have these feelings for her? She made a mental note that she would have to ask him when she saw him tonight, that was for sure!

Elena stood there for a while, just long enough to call the one person she knew could help her. "NYPD..Officer Tyler Lockwood speaking." He told her, listening as Elena exhaled and then she began to speak in a shaky tone.

"Tyler, it's Elena...They've got him and I don't know what to do! I know I shouldn't have called you..but, Tyler...Stefan went to-" She began to ramble, her hands starting to shake as she began to slowly walk back inside the hospital, hoping that she wouldn't run into Caroline just yet.

"Elena, calm down. Please, take a deep breath. What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Stefan has a meeting with Alaric and all I can keep thinking about is the fact that he's dangerous. He just has his cell phone, he went in with no wire..he's off the grid and he never even told me where he was going...I just...I needed to tell you because I don't like it, I have a really bad feeling about it. I'm worried, Tyler." She told him, exhaling and inhaling deeply as she clutched onto her cell phone and prayed that Stefan would survive his 'meeting' with Alaric, one of the most notorious criminals that they ever had to deal with.

* * *

"So, Mr. Murphy. I'm glad you came alone...I was hoping that we could chat." Alaric said, pulling out a beer as he opened one and handed the other to Stefan, watching as Stefan took it and just held it, unopened in his hands.

"Of course. You called and I'm here. So, I thought this was about the club and the fact that my girlfriend wanted to purchase it from you." He told him, leaning back into his seat as he turned his head to look over at Alaric who was taking a long drag of his beer.

"Well, it's partly because of that. But, I also heard about you...I'm fairly interested in the business that you do. How you make your money...that is." Alaric told him, watching as they turned down an abandoned ally and Stefan gave him a confused look. "Where are we going?" He asked, as the car stopped by a white van that clearly had someone in it.

"Alaric, what's going on?" He asked again. He watched carefully as Alaric gave him a devious smile, stepping out of his car and telling Stefan to follow him as he walked up to the van and started talking to a buff and tan young man.

"What the hell is going on!" Stefan said under his breath as he too got out of the car and went to go stand by Alaric and the other man who looked familiar from somewhere..but, he was having a hard time placing him...trying to figure the imagines of all the victims and missing that he had seen in his career, until it all fell into place when Alaric uttered the one name that made Stefan's heart sink inside of his chest.

"Mr. Murphy, I'd like you to meet Jeremy Gilbert. He's my right hand man for my business and I was hoping we could all sit down and talk about your success...maybe you could tell us, Stefan. How is it that you got so wealthy, so fast."

* * *

Elena had been pacing the hospital, waiting for Tyler to call her back with any information that he could find on Alaric. But, just as she was about to call him for the tenth time in the last two hours, she heard Caroline's cheerful voice.

The detective was stuffing a piece of dark chocolate in her mouth as she smiled at Elena, watching as the brunette gave her a sour look.

"What happened to you? Where's Stefan and why you do look like someone died?" Caroline asked, sitting down next to Elena as she exhaled and crossed her legs over each other. She was clearly confused and keeping secrets from someone who was also on the 'good guys' side wasn't a good idea. So, Elena took a deep breath as she explained what happened, watching as Caroline's blue eyes widened at her words.

"Are you insane! You have no idea what you have just done, Elena! Tyler, Stefan and I have been trying to put Alaric away for years and now we just put an undercover officers life in danger! He has no wire, a cell phone is all and that can't even be tracked! Damn it! We have no idea where he is...if we don't find out where he is soon, we're going to need to call it in and this whole operation is going to be blown up into smoke!" Caroline told her, placing her hands behind her head as she exhaled deeply..this sting just got a million times worse and on top of it, she had just meet Katherine!

"You know, I thought that meeting Katherine in that hospital room just a few minutes ago and her bitching about how much she hated the fact that I was taking her place in this whole 'nightclub' sting was bad enough...But, this...this just topped the cake!" Caroline continued until she looked over at Elena, tears in her eyes as she locked them on the blonde and nodded.

"I thought he was going to be okay. He just said that they were going to talk things out about the club..I didn't realize that he would be in danger, that Alaric would actually take him some place!" Elena cried, wiping away her tears as she looked over at Caroline and shook her head.

"I'm sorry! I just..I.." Elena said, her voice trailing off as Caroline looked at her. The young brunette reminded her so much of herself when she had just started out doing undercover ops...and the first time that Tyler had gone missing, two days of being without him had killed her heart, but it had also made her realize that if she wasn't strong for him, then she probably won't have made it at all.

"Elena, I'm sure he's fine. Your right, he's probably just talking with Alaric about business is all. No need to worry about it. He'll be home tonight, you'll see. Now, since Katherine is being discharged and being sent to rehab in a few hours. How about you and I get something to eat and then we go home, I really want to see this house that Stefan was telling me about! It sounds amazing." Caroline told her, a plastered smile on her face as she hide the truth...she was terrified for his safety and she had no idea what was going to happen, this was just the beginning of it, the beginning of what she knew was going to be a dangerous mission, if it was really what it seemed...Stefan being kidnapped by Alaric and his men, which if it was true, it was going to be disastrous for them all.

* * *

"You're Jeremy Gilbert?" Stefan asked him, watching as the young man stood in front him, his shirt sticking to his bulked up chest and his hands seemed fidgety, it was hard to tell if he was on drugs and even if he was, he wasn't showing much sighs of it in front of the cop.

"Yes. Look, Mr. Murphy...how about us three go for a little ride..." Jeremy told him.

Stefan watched as Jeremy eyed him up and down and he gave Alaric a knowing look and then nodded. "Sure, why not..I can't wait to talk about the business with you guys." Stefan told them, feeling their glaring eyes on him as Alaric stepped behind him, feeling his hands resting on Stefan's shoulders as he spoke into his ear.

"Oh, Mr. Murphy...It will be interesting, I can promise you that..." Alaric said, looking up at Jeremy as he opened up the back of the van.

"Now, how about you and Jeremy sit in the back and we can head out." Alaric said, watching as Stefan gave him a nervous look, shrugging his shoulders as he placed his hands into his pocket and tried to reach for his cell phone.

"Aha, Aha! Clearly, we don't want any distractions...isn't that right, Jeremy?" Alaric told him, turning to his partner in crime as they heard Stefan let out a laugh.

"Oh, Come on boys..I need to let the girlfriend know where I am..She gets a bit antsy when I don't make it home for dinner." Stefan told them, watching as Alaric laughed and then smiled at him, placing his hand on Stefan's shoulders and shoving him towards the open doors to the back of the van.

"Don't worry, Stefan...You can tell her that you won't be making it home...tonight...or for a while actually. Mr. Murphy...that's a cleaver made up name..But, I like Mr. Salvatore much better..." Alaric said, grinning from ear to ear as he watched Stefan pause, turning around and trying to play it off with a laugh, like he hadn't heard him, hadn't just blown his cover.

"NYPD's best undercover officer. You know, Stefan even us criminals keep in touch with each other from jail." Alaric said with an evil grin, watching as Stefan's whole body tensed up at his words...he was onto him, he knew and Stefan had no idea how much danger he had just walked into...no idea how one of Stockton's gang's even knew about him, because he had spent months on making sure that no one would know about the undercover officer living right under their noses, in the most crime ridden cities in California and he made sure that Alaric had no ties to anyone else from his past cases. So, how was it that he knew?

"What? I...I have no idea what you're talking about..Ha...you've got it all-" Stefan began to say, just as he turned around again, his back turned towards the van. And then he felt it...a strong blow to the head and his body going limp...everything in front of him going dark, with the last thing that he could actually comprehend before he gave into the darkness coming was clearly from Jeremy Gilbert's mouth..."Ask your old friend, Elijah...about it."

* * *

**A/N: I'm sure your all probably like...WAIT A SEC, I thought Elijah went to jail for good in the last story?! Well..all I can say is stay tuned! ;)**

**-Until Next Time!- **

**Follow me on twitter at:Green_Eyes1989 for updates!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey All! So, Here's CH.12! I hope this will answer a few questions or maybe just leave you with more.. :D **

**Enjoy & Thanks for Reading!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE-The Thin Line Between Us **

She had fallen asleep when they had gotten back to the now empty house. Elena's mind raced with thoughts of him, it was getting darker as time went on and the later it got, the more she knew that it would be harder to find him, alive.

She was the reason for all of it and it hurt. It hurt to know that his words...I love you...were spoken more out of knowing that him probably would never see her again, that it would be the last time that he would tell her anything, hold her like he had in the parking lot.

Elena swung her legs over the bed and hit the cold floor hard, a dimly lit lamp shined in the room as she scanned it and noticed things that she hadn't before, like the letter that had sat on the bedside table, his hand writing clearly visible on it, making her heart sink. Elena knew why it was there and what it was, but she couldn't bear to open it...to read the words that must have killed him to write. To make this feeling more real, that Stefan was gone and that for the first time in all her life one of her biggest regrets would be that she would never tell him, what she really wanted too in that one moment..._that she loved him too. _

She stared it for a long time before she exhaled deeply and got up from the bed, walking into the kitchen to find Caroline sitting on a bar stool, spinning her cell phone on the counter top as tears streamed down her face.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you earlier. Elena, it's just...this is hard on me...It's not just because Stefan and I have a deep connection, it's because he's the first person who had taught me to believe in myself, he taught me to be tough and I owe him so much more than to fail him like this." Caroline told her, wiping away at her tears as she watched Elena lean towards her embracing her tightly as they stood there, the room falling silent, both hoping that Stefan was alive and not in trouble, like their hearts and minds were screaming deep down.

* * *

He groaned as he tried to move and quickly realized that his hands were laced tightly behind him, a burning rope on his wrists with every movement he took. His face was covered with a darkened pillow case and he could hear a slow, wet dripping sound falling from the ceiling, the cold of the room made his whole body shiver as he sat in it.

Stefan could feel the cooper taste on his chapped lips and he could feel his head pounding as he tirelessly tried to get up, but fell back quickly. "I wouldn't try to get up if I were you, Mr. Salvatore. The ropes are soaked with stinging nettles, gets worse the more you move. So, how about you sit tight and then we'll chat, soon." He told him, as he got up. The chair that he had sat in creaking against the cold concrete floor. Pushing, Stefan back down to the cold and wet floor with his rough and dangerous hands.

"Where am I! You can't do this to me...I have a team out there looking for me, they'll find you...I can promise you that!" Stefan shouted, hearing as the footsteps stopped, turning around on the squeaky ground.

"Ha, Oh your such a young rookie cop. It's painful to watch really...Let's just say, You're nowhere near California anymore." He told him. Stefan exhaled deeply as he hung his head low, his eyes adjusting onto the pillow case that covered his head.

"Let's at least take the blind fold and the pillowcase off of his head, he'll suffocate and we can't have that, He doesn't want him dead...he's wants him very much alive." The voice said, a British accent coming from across the room and stopping near the door, a familiar voice that Stefan had heard a million times when he had been in New York, stuck in that shit whole of an apartment, working for him in his warehouse and then...the room that he had told him to go into, forced him to almost take the drugs that would have been his downfall.

"Elijah?" Stefan asked, his voice rough and above a whisper as he shook his head, trying to get rid of the pounding that was killing his conscious as he sat on the cold ground, feet and arms tied, his back against the cold bricks in what he assumed was a basement.

He felt a pair of warm hands pull off the pillow case, Stefan closed his eyes and finally squinted them open when the bright florescent light shined directly at him.

"Hello again, Stefan. " Elijah said, his voice just as sinister as before and his dark eyes dancing with danger and evil, as Stefan looked up at him. He was now face to face with the man that he had thought was gone, was in federal prison for a lifetime...

"How did you...I arrested you, you got life in prison!" Stefan said, breathing deeply from the burning pain in his hands, the pain that radiated off his whole body.

"Well, Hmm...Let's see...When you've got people on all sides of the country and a lot of people on the inside and outside with you..there are ways of getting out of the system. But, nice try." Elijah said, going behind him and tightening the ropes as Stefan exhaled and yelled out in pain.

"Ahhh...Please! They're going to come after you! You're going to go away from a long time if you kill me. Please, Elijah I can give you whatever you want. I can get you out of the country if you want. Please, just let me go." Stefan begged, tears in his leaf green eyes, gritting his teeth and breathing out through his nose from the pain.

"Now, why would I want to do that...I'm keeping you for ransom...You're a very valuable man and the team in New York is already buzzing about your disappearance. "One of New York's finest undercover officers...Stefan Salvatore, has been kidnapped!" Elijah said, gasping as he bent down and locked his eyes on Stefan's.

"Why would I let you go now when I like seeing that they're trying so desperately to find you...But, Ha...too bad for them, you'll be dead in a few days when I get what I want." Elijah told him, smirking as he bent down and fastened the ropes even tighter around his wrists, watching the redness in Stefan's wrists flare up, blood dripping down his face as he smiled at him.

"I'm not letting you go, until I get what I want." Elijah told him, an evil look in his eyes as he stood up and began to walk towards the concrete door.

Stefan let out a pained sigh as he lifted up his head slowly and glanced over at him, the taste in his mouth tasting like acid and blood mixed in his mouth, when he spoke above a whisper. "I'll give you anything. Please, anything you want..." Stefan begged, trying to show that the ropes on his feet and wrists weren't nearly killing him, making it too painful to think, too painful to beg for his own survival.

"No, Stefan...We both know that you wouldn't give her up that easily. It's because of you that I was in jail and she left. Now, I think we're fair... Mr. Salvatore, don't you? I've got you, the one thing that she would do anything for to save and you've got her..the only person I want back." Elijah told him in a matter of fact tone.

Stefan ground his teeth, breathing through his nose in sharp intakes of breath as he whispered, her name...the girl that he was falling in love with, the one that he would now do anything to protect.

"You're right! I will never give her back to you...She deserves much better than what you are...So, it's fine...I'll suffer to protect her, I'd anything to keep her safe. But, it's funny that you took me because you want her...You want, Elena...Because, she sure as hell doesn't want you." Stefan said, a stinging in his eyes as he heard Elijah laugh, slamming the door behind him, leaving Stefan with the realization that this wasn't about him anymore, none of it was because of him, it was all because of her...a war in the criminal world because of the brunette that he had promised that he would protect...the one that he loved.

* * *

**A/N: He Loves Her! :') **

**Thanks for Reading!**

**Follow me on Twitter too at: Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time-**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey Guys! So, here's CH.13! Enjoy and thanks so much for reading!**

**Follow me on Twitter too for updates at Green_Eyes1989 **

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us- **

72 hours. 3 days. He hadn't been home or had been heard of since then and it had started to make Elena sick with worry thinking about the details. She hadn't eaten, hadn't talked much and even when Caroline had insisted that they go check out things at the club that was soon to be theirs. Elena would brush her off, tell her that she wasn't feeling well.

"Elena, we're doing everything we can to find him." Caroline told her as she handed her a cup of tea and watched as she took it with shaking hands.

"But, what if they..." She began to say as Caroline took a seat on the couch in front of her and crossed her arms over her chest, exhaling deeply as she nodded her head.

"No. We don't think like that...we're not allowing ourselves to think like that. Do you understand me? Elena, we're going to find him. Alive." Caroline told her sincerely as she watched Elena shake her head.

"I can't take this waiting around and feeling helpless anymore! I'm getting out of the house. Okay? You've got my number if you need me and call me if we get any more details on who took Stefan. Please." Elena told her, getting up from her seat as Caroline began to speak.

"Tyler called this morning and said that we can't go out anywhere without notifying the U.C. department. They want all of us to check in before we go anywhere. Elena, I can't let you..I'm sorry!" Caroline told her trying to pull her by the arm and stop her from leaving the house that they had been cooped up in for the last few days, just waiting.

"Caroline, I swear to god that if you don't let go of my arm. I will pepper spray your ass! .Go!" Elena hissed as she turned towards her, securing her eyes on the blonde as she took a step back and swallowed.

"Fine. Go, Elena. But, whatever you have planned, isn't going to bring him home to us any sooner. I can assure you that!" Caroline told her, watching as Elena grabbed her jacket and purse, giving her a helpless glance, grabbing the keys in her hands as she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

She had been driving around in circles for what felt like hours, minutes maybe. Elena had lost track of time as she parked the car in front of the familiar building. Nothing seemed to make sense without him being with her and it drove her crazy, she missed him and knowing that his last words to her was a sentence that was engrained into her mind, playing on a loop over and over again. It killed her.

She slowly opened the car door as she took a deep breath, fixing her hair quickly and putting on a fake smile as she ran towards the door of the building, locking the car door behind her, searching for some answers.

"Miss Fleming! Darling, how are you?" His voice rang through the nearly empty building as she turned around. There he stood, Aaron with a wide grin on his face as he placed a few glasses on a nearby table.

"Aaron. Things are hell! But, I'm sure you already knew that...that one of your bosses already told you." She explained, placing her hands onto her hips as Aaron tilted his head to the side in a surprised manner.

"Why so gloomy...Elena, was it? Is your boyfriend not treating you well?" Aaron asked her, a chuckle in his voice as he watched her approach him.

"That's cute. Aaron. But, You should know why I'm here." Elena told him, taking a step forward and rolling her eyes as his words.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Why don't we talk in my office and you can tell me all about it." He told her with a wink as she took a few steps closer to him.

"Here's fine. I'm good. I just wanted to come here and discuss something with you about Stefan." She told him, finally standing in front of Aaron as he ran his hands through his hair, placing his hands at his sides as he gave her a grin. "And, what's that? I was hoping that you were coming to see me."

Elena stepped in front of him, watching as he placed one of his hands on the table next to him. She watched him carefully and instantly remembered what Stefan had taught her when they had been training together, a small self defense course before he made sure that she was ready for this assignment.

She took a long look at his hands on the table, listening to Aaron ramble on and on about something, his words fading into the air as she stepped behind him, throwing him down on the table by his arm, his face pressed roughly against the wood.

Surprise on his face as she twisted one of his arms that wasn't on the table behind his back. Elena leaned into him, her knee pressed against his backside as she hissed into his ear, pointing a gun that she had hidden in her back pocket to his back as she pressed into his body and spoke in an angry tone. "Where the fuck is Stefan! You have five minutes to answer me or I swear, I will make your life a living hell, until you don't!"

* * *

Caroline was in a panic as she called Damon and Tyler. She listened to both of them yell at her for even letting Elena go and not trying harder to stop her from leaving.

"Son of a Bitch, Caroline! You were supposed to stop her! Why didn't you go with her...you're supposed to be babysitting her until we could bring Stefan home! Can't you follow any simple directions!" Tyler bellowed into the cell phone as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Babysit her? Oh dear God, Tyler! I'm a police officer not a fucking babysitter! Since when do we 'babysit' informants? The last time I checked was...well, NEVER! They're supposed to follow our rules!" Caroline screamed, running her hands through her hair as she heard her husband exhale deeply.

"I'm sorry babe! I just..I can't handle losing anyone else since we have no idea where Stefan's at and even if he's alive. I just...losing his informant is bad, really bad and it's making our department look like a bunch of incompetent idiots!" Tyler explained, hearing as Caroline replied with a staggered breath.

"I know and I'm sorry. Look, I'm going to go look for her..I think I know where she might have gone. Anyways, are they sending you here to investigate what happened to Stefan. I mean, have you heard any new details?" Caroline asked.

"Uh, Caroline to be honest. It doesn't look good. I'm like a sitting duck here in New York and I actually just got orders from my boss to come down there. I'm bring Bonnie Bennett with me too. You know, Stefan's partner from Albany. We're all doing the best we can to find him. To bring him home, alive." Tyler explained as he heard Caroline sigh.

"That's good. I'm actually going to call Damon back since I hung up on him and told him to go to hell. I guess I need to apologize for that." She said with a slight laugh as she heard Tyler inhale deeply.

"Okay baby. Well, I love you and I guess I'll be seeing you soon. In a few days, I promise. Caroline, just make sure that when you do find Elena that you keep a better eye on her. I know that we're all going through a lot. But, her and Stefan are pretty close and she's kind of unpredictable at the moment." Tyler told her as he heard her agree and then he told her a quick good bye.

Caroline hung up the cell phone in her hands as she laid her head back onto the couch pillows. Finding an Undercover missing officer was going to be one thing. But, searching Stockton for his unpredictable and vengeful Undercover girlfriend was going to be another story.

Caroline sat on the couch in silence as she quickly dialed his number.

"Hello?" He answered in a choked up tone, shockingly he sounded as if he had been crying.

"Hey Damon! It's Caroline. I was hoping that you and I could meet up..and I wanted to apologize for hanging up on you earlier. I didn't mean to say what I did. I was just frustrated." Caroline told him with a laugh as she pictured Damon shaking his head.

"Uh, Hi Caroline. Yeah, look. I'm sorry too. It's just with Stefan missing and not knowing if he's okay and now with Elena going on this revenge filled rampage that could get her killed. I was pretty pissed off too and a bit on edge. But, I was really hoping that you could have just tased her Caroline, that would have stopped her from going anywhere! So, what do you need?" Damon explained as he heard her let out a small laugh.

"No, Damon. I'm not going to tase an informant! But, I was hoping that you and I could go find our MIA vengeful missing girl before she blows our covers!" Caroline told him, listening on the other end as Damon let out a deep sigh before he replied.

"Sure, I'll see you in a half hour. I'm actually in Oakland at the moment. But, once I get done here...We can go and find her." He told her as he heard Caroline agree with his words.

"Sound's great. I'll see you soon, then!" She replied as she hung up the phone and thought about the fact that surely, Elena couldn't have done that much damage by now, she hadn't been gone for that long! Maybe she was just out in a bar, getting completely wasted and drowning herself in her own sorrow.

* * *

** Uh oh...Crazy Elena on the loose?! Oh Boy! Thing's just got complicated! ;) **

**-Until Next Time!-**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:  So this is somewhat of a filler chapter I guess. The good stuff should be coming soon! :)  
**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us **

He was exhausted, sick and weakened and he swore that he was seeing hallucinations in the small cramped basement that they had thrown him in.

Stefan had lost track of time and as he laid his head on the cool stones of the basement, he could swear that he could see her face.

" What are you doing here?" He asked her, watching as Elena smiled at him sweetly and sat down next to him. Taking his cold hand into her warm touch as he closed his eyes and blinked.

"Stefan, you're going to be okay. We're going to find you. I promise you, I promise that you're going to make it out alive. I love you..I love you so much." She told him softly, leaning into him to kiss his soft lips.

But just when Stefan raised up his hand slowly to touch her face, she was gone and the booming sound of the door opened with a smirk forming on Elijah's face, revealing the evilness in his eyes.

"We're leaving." He commented as he untied Stefan's hands and dragged him out of the basement by his already ripped and bloodied t-shirt.

Stefan groaned as Elijah threw him against the wall and watched as he cried out in pain. "Please, let me go. I'll give her to you. I promise, I'll give her up, I'll give you anything you want. Just please let me go." Stefan tried bargaining with him, staggering to get up as he watched a wide smile form on Elijah's lips.

"Now, Stefan. Why would you tell me that you'd give her up just like that. When three days ago. You were begging for me not to find her." Elijah reminded him as he watched Stefan spit out blood and wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Because I don't love her. I've been using her as a pawn in this damn cat and mouse game to get closer to Alaric and arrest him. Let's make a deal. I give you Elena and then I want you both gone out of my life. I won't arrest you or charge you with my kidnapping. I'll give her up only if you tell me where Alaric is and what I can charge him with." Stefan told him, straightening up against the wall as he watched Elijah eye him up and down, a laugh escaping his lips.

"And why should I believe you?" He asked, arms across his chest as he huffed out a breath.

Stefan swallowed hard, he was trying to sound convincing to make it seem like he could be believed. Because truth be told, Elijah was right Stefan would never just hand Elena over to him and if that day ever came, it would end in bloodshed.

"Because, I know that you love her and I know what it feels like to be separated from someone you love. I also know that I would never screw you over again. Now that I know what you're capable of." He explained as he watched Elijah take a step back from him and laugh.

"You've got that right. Well then, I'll drop you off at the nearest hospital in town. If anyone asks where you've been. You tell them that you got into a car accident and that you barely made it out alive. Do you understand me? But, if I found out that you're lying to me and that you took Elena anywhere with you. I will hunt you down and I will kill everyone that you've ever known. Starting with that brother of yours." Elijah warned as he fisted his fingers against the collar of Stefan's shirt and watched as he nodded in fear.

* * *

They had been driving aimlessly for what felt like hours as they passed by all the familiar places that Caroline thought that Elena would be at.

"I'm telling you Caroline. I think you're wrong about this. She probably went all psycho ninja on us and went to go kill a gangster." Damon chuckled as he watched Caroline take her hand off the steering wheel for a moment and smack the back of his head.

"Ouch! What the hell! I'm just telling you the truth about her." Damon commented as Caroline pulled the car over to the side and turned towards him.

"Look, I'm on my last nerve with you! Now think, Damon! Where could she be!" Caroline screamed. Watching as his body tensed and he ran his hands though his dark hair.

"The only place that I could think of was a that club that she and Katherine were supposed to be at today. You know the one that you're supposed to be working at too." He told her, a smile on his face as he watched Caroline's anger fade and she frowned a bit.

"Well why the hell didn't you tell me that she was there?! We could have been there hours ago! God only knows where's she's at or what she's doing!" Caroline told him as she turned the car around in a hurry and sped down the street, silently hoping that Damon was right for once.

* * *

She watched as Aaron shivered, pushing him off of the table as he yelped out in pain.

"Owwh! Let me go you crazy woman!" He yelled as she shoved the gun in her hands against his back deeper into the curve of his spine.

"Oh you think I'm crazy now? You've seen nothing yet!" Elena told him as she pushed him back into a hallway. But right when she was about to walk him back into an office room and tie him up to a chair to begin asking him questions the entrance of the night club door opened up and Caroline and Damon came bursting in.

"Let him go Elena and put the damn gun down!" Caroline yelled as she slowly walked over to her and watched as Elena gave them both an annoyed look.

"No, Caroline. He knows answers that I need. We need to find Stefan and he knows where he's at!" Elena yelled as she pushed Aaron into the wall more. She stayed silent as she heard Damon's cell phone go off.

"Aha..You've got to be kidding me! Okay, Okay. We'll be right there!" Damon said over the cell phone as he nodded and hung up, staring at Caroline who stood frozen in place and moving his eyes over to Elena who had now backed away from Aaron and turned her head to look up at Damon's shocked facial expression. He was rubbing his face with his hands as he exhaled a deep breath.

"What's going on?" Elena asked in a weak tone, feeling her heart drop as Damon heavily inhaled and spoke with a stunned voice.

"He's alive. They found him in Phoenix, Arizona at a hospital there. That was Tyler. He's catching a plane to Arizona to bring Stefan back home tonight." Damon told them as he watched Caroline and Elena give each other surprised and astonished looks and he heard everyone in the room let go of their breathes that they'd been holding since the moment the cell phone had gone off.

* * *

** A/N: Hey All! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

**Thanks for reading & Please feel free to follow me on twitter at: Green_Eyes1989 for updates! **

**-Until Next Time-**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey all! Hope you guys like this update. There's a cute S/E moment towards the end that will be expanded on in the next update. :) **

**Thanks for reading & Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us- **

He had been beaten, bloodied and exhausted by the time that Damon had picked him up and they drove back home to the house in Stockton.

Damon seemed to do most of the talking as he drove, glancing every once in awhile at Stefan who was focused on the darkness of the early morning around him.

"I'm glad that your alive, brother. You gave us all a heart attack. We thought you we're dead. But here you are, alive..breathing and in one piece. I'm thankful it was just a car accident." Damon commented, leaning over to pat Stefan's shoulder. But, the younger Salvatore had flinched away from him instead.

"Just a car accident..Damon, if I hadn't crawled out of the rubble..I would be dead." Stefan lied, biting down on his tongue to not say the wrong thing because he knew that if Elijah or Alaric got word of his slip up, they would start the bloodshed, beginning with his older brother.

"Look, I'm sorry okay. I just...I'm glad you're home..." Damon told him, his voice trailing off as he once again lifted his hand to pat Stefan's shoulder, but quickly retracted it as his brother looked over at him with what looked like tears in his forest green eyes.

"Thank you." He said softly, trying not to choke on the lump that was stuck in his throat and the truth that he was trying so hard to keep from them all because he wanted nothing more than to keep them all safe.

* * *

Caroline was laying on the couch watching a bridal shower on TV as she wiped away at her falling tears when she heard the door burst open. It had been hours since her and Elena had gotten back home, neither of them talking much since they had gotten back from the night club, leaving Aaron in one piece for now.

Caroline quickly jumped up from the couch as she gasped, tears suddenly streaming down her face. She didn't even care as she ran to him, watching a smile form on his face as he out stretched his arms towards her.

"Hey." Tyler said softly, holding her in his arms tightly as the blonde cried into his shoulder.

"You're here! Oh, Thank God you're here!" Caroline wept into his shirt as he held her closer to his chest, Tyler's hand gently stroking her hair down as he soothed her cries.

"Where's everyone else...Where's...Stefan?" Caroline asked as she pushed herself away from Tyler and he turned towards the door and smiled slightly.

"Damon and Stefan are on their way. So, where's Elena at?" He asked her, taking notice that it was just Caroline downstairs and the feisty brunette was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh, she's upstairs in the master bedroom. She fell asleep about a half hour ago. Look, why don't we just sit down and let her sleep. Okay? She's been having a really rough time with everything and she just thought that maybe if she fell asleep that time would go by quicker." Caroline explained, turning towards Tyler and grabbing his hand into hers as she lead him further into the living room.

"Caroline." Tyler started to say, watching as his wife's face instantly fell and frowned at him a bit.

"What?" She asked, turning around, locking her blue eyes on Tyler's saddened face.

"When you see Stefan tonight, I want you to know that he's been through a rough few days. Okay. He's got bandages on his stomach, his hands broken from what the doctor said and he's got dried up blood on his face and his clothes are dirty." Tyler explained, watching as she gave him a saddened look.

"Tyler, I know. You act like I've never seen a victim before or that I've never been around one..Don't you remember what it was like for me when you were gone? I spent days thinking that you were dead! But that moment that you came home, the moment my eyes locked on yours none of that mattered..what you looked like, it didn't matter. Because, you were with me...you were alive." Caroline told him, a lump forming in her throat as she stepped in front of her husband and embraced him tightly.

But just when Caroline turned around, letting go of his waistline and pulling Tyler towards the couch with her. They stopped in their tracks when they saw and heard the door swing open and the two brother's stepped inside the house.

* * *

"Stefan!" Caroline shrieked, slowly making her way towards him as Tyler trailed behind her, watching as his wife carefully and gently hugged her best friend, the man that had taught Caroline everything that she knew on how to be a good cop and how to survive on the streets.

"Hey, Care. I've missed you." Stefan replied softly, wrapping his around her small frame as he exhaled deeply.

Even though he was happy to be home and thankful to see his friends, Stefan frowned a bit as he looked around and noticed that the one person that he had wanted to see was nowhere to be found. So, as he looked around the house, slowly making his way into the kitchen in search of her, his heart fell to the pit of his stomach.

"She's upstairs..She was tired and decided to go to bed early. We kind of had an incident with her earlier." Damon commented as he glanced over at Caroline as she wiped a falling tear from her cheek.

"Incident?" Stefan asked, turning towards his brother as he spoke.

"Uh, she went all psycho bad ass- give me my boyfriend back or I will kill you on one of Alaric's guys." Damon said with a chuckle as he watched Stefan run his hands through his hair and sigh.

"Jesus you guys! I was gone for a few days and you had Elena running around town by herself..trying to kill Alaric's gang members! What's wrong with you all?" Stefan yelled suddenly, watching as everyone froze to look over at him.

"Ah, shit. I'm sorry..I guess I'm still a bit on edge from everything. Look, how about we all get some sleep and I'll talk to her in the morning about it?" Stefan said as he watched them all nod without saying another word. Stefan then took small steps upstairs until he reached the master bedroom.

* * *

Elena had been sleeping for hours it felt like when she woke up to the sound of rushing water inside of the bathroom. She quickly rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes as she got up from the bed and pulled on one of his t-shirts, running her fingers over the fabric as she straightened her back out and made her way towards the now half way closed door that lead to the bathroom.

"Caroline?" Elena said in a sleepy and raw voiced tone.

"Hello?" She said slowly pushing the door open. Her eyes growing wide and her heart falling to her stomach as she saw him, his shirt off cleaning the bruises that he had endured and the small knife marks that Elijah had inflicted upon him.

Elena watched as he turned towards her, his face seemed distant and exhausted. But his eyes were still the same whenever he would look at her, his eyes were filled with pure longing, with pure love.

"Stefan?" Elena said in disbelief, not even believing the sound of his name against her mouth as he pulled his shirt down and gave her a weak smile, swallowing the lump in his throat as he looked over at her and spoke in a soft tone. "Hi baby."

"You're home! Oh my god..You're finally home!" Elena cried as she nearly ran into him, embracing him tightly as Stefan gritted his teeth and exhaled deeply.

"Yeah, I'm home. I'm finally home, sweetheart." He commented, placing his hands around her waist line as he kissed the top of her head and inhaled the scent of her, instantly bringing him peace.

* * *

** A/N: Thanks for reading!**

**Follow me on twitter for updates at Green_Eyes1989 **

**-Until Next Time-**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey Guys! So, Here's a little Christmas treat for all of you awesome readers! :) **

**Enjoy & Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! 3 **

* * *

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us **

Elena had rolled into him, waking up every five minutes to make sure that he was still there. That this wasn't some sick dream that she was having.

But when she heard Stefan wince from the pain, she nearly jumped out of the bed that she was laying next to him in, her arms gently draped around him as if she were to let go that he would disappear into thin air.

"I'm glad you're home. Safe." Elena whispered softly as she turned her back towards him and felt his arms pull her closer as he gritted his teeth and exhaled deeply through his nose.

"So am I. Shhh. We're okay now. Just go to sleep." Stefan told her as he pulled her closer towards him, resting his head near hers and slowly feeling himself drift off into the medication induced sleep that he had been waiting on.

* * *

The early morning hours seemed to come too early as they both woke to the sound of loud noises of all their house guests down stairs. Stefan groaned when he got up and heard the shower on, Elena stepping out from the steam filled room, wrapping her hair up into a towel.

"Hey." She said sweetly, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek as she lingered by his face. Stefan smiled at her as he lifted his hand and lightly caressed her cheek, their eyes locking on one another's as Stefan spoke to her in a soft tone.

"Elena, there's something I have to tell you." He said, staring down at his clasped hands that were in his lap, exhaling deeply as he watched her back away from him, tightening her towel around her body.

"What is it? Are you finally going to explain the 'I love you' in the parking lot at the hospital?" She said jokingly, looking over at him.

Stefan laughed, he had partly forgotten about the words that he had spoken to her, almost as if it had felt like it was years ago and spoken by someone else entirely different. Because since he's returned to the house in Stockton, since late last night and holding Elena in his arms when he slept was the only time where he had actually felt normal, himself. The man that he had been when he had started this whole assignment. Madly and secretly in love with the woman that he had hoaxed into being his under cover girlfriend, just so that he could get some more time with her.

"Ha, yeah...umm...about that." He began to say, watching as Elena's towel fell in front of her feet, her backside showing as she placed clothes onto her nearly dry body.

"Stefan, you told me that you loved me and that you wanted me to go with Caroline. And, I did. But, I spent sleepless nights, worried sick for days because I thought you were dead. Because, I thought that I would never see your face again and that I would never be able to tell you that I felt the same way!" Elena exclaimed, pulling her shirt over her head, moving her hair to the side as she turned back towards Stefan to look at his expression.

Stefan blinked quickly, feeling like his heart was going to explode from her words, from her confession of loving him too.

"You love me?" He asked, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves as he got up from bed that he was sitting on slowly, groaning from the pain in his body as he walked over to her.

Elena nodded, turning her back towards him as she glanced at herself in the mirror and started to braid her long brown hair that was still a bit damp.

"Elena, please look at me." Stefan commented, placing his hands around her abdomen and pulling her towards him so that her hair was now flowing over his shoulder, her head gently resting near his own.

"Yes?" Elena asked him, her eyes locking on his side profile. Stefan felt her lift her head up and stand straight in front of him, her hands out stretched towards Stefan's when she turned to face him fully.

"Stefan, What is it? I love you okay. There, I said it. I love you and I was scared to death that I would never see you again. But, here you are and I'm so thankful your home." Elena told him, locking her eyes on him as she caressed the side of his face, tears in her own eyes as she watched Stefan lift his head to look up at her, his own eyes filled with watery tears.

"I love you and it's because I love you that I'm about to tell you something that is going to change everything. But, I want to make sure that if you agree to this that, you won't change your mind. Do you trust me?" Stefan asked, watching as Elena wrinkled her nose at his words and gave him a confused look.

"Stefan, I trust you. But, are you sure it's not the meds. that your taking. I mean, what could you possibly be talking about? Did they check out your head for a concussion from the car accident that you were in?" Elena asked him in a joking manner., looking up at his stone cold facial expression. But, once she noticed that Stefan wasn't laughing that he wasn't moving from where he was standing. Elena knew that he was serious, that what he was about to tell her was something that probably wasn't good news.

"Do you want to sit down for this or stand?" He asked, watching as she locked her darkened confused eyes on his face.

"I'll stand, whatever it is. I can handle it. I mean, I survived getting out from Elijah's iron hold on my life. What would be worse than that?" She asked him, giving him a weak smile and watching as Stefan took a few steps closer towards her, rubbing his hands against her exposed olive colored skin.

" Elena. Elijah's out of prison. Don't ask me how. But, when I went into the car with Alaric, they knocked me out and your brother was there..They held me in this basement in Arizona and they had told me that if I ever told anyone. Anybody. They would kill you all. But, the worst part is that he-" Stefan began to say, watching as tears began to escape from Elena's eyes, glancing up at him as she exhaled deeply.

"What! How is he even out of jail! They kidnapped you? Oh my god...Oh my god! That explains the cuts on your stomach, that explains the bruising on your wrists. That son of a bitch almost killed you..He...He..could have killed you! And, Jeremy..Oh my god!" Elena exclaimed, holding onto her chest as she felt light headed and pressure escape from her lungs from a lack of oxygen.

"Hey, Elena..Elena..Please. Listen to me. I'm alive. Look, see...I'm here. And, your brother's alive too." Stefan told her, walking to her and grabbing her hand, placing it on his chest as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed them gently.

Tears began to stream down her face as she rested her head onto his shoulder, sobbing for the fact that he was nearly killed, because of her. Realizing that this whole damn thing was all because of her and that he brother, who had she wanted so much to save, was still out there working for the enemy.

"That's it. Tell me where he's at. If he wants me, then he can have me, Elijah can have me so that we can end this! I don't give a damn. If it keeps you alive and safe then I don't care...He can have me, as long as you're safe and Jeremy is back home..I-" She began to ramble, running her hands through her long hair as she watched Stefan sit next to her on the bed. Grabbing her shaking hands into his and breathing deeply.

"He wants you. Elena, Elijah wants you back because he thinks I stole you from him. But, I am not giving you up. Ever. Elijah would have to kill me to have you and that's not going to happen. Elena, I love you and your the only reason I'm alive. You kept me going while I was locked up...Seeing your face with me. Keeping you close, was the only thing that kept me breathing." He told her, placing his warm hands on each side of her face, as he leaned in and kissed her lips softly. Stefan watched and smiled when her eyes fluttered close at his touch.

"I'm not going to let you do that. I would rather give up my whole career for you. I'd give up my damn badge just to keep you safe. Screw these undercover missions, this damn life that I thought that I wanted. I don't want any of it, unless I have you with me, your all that matters to me and I would give up everything. Everything, just to be with you." Stefan confessed, watching as Elena's eyes grew in surprise and she spoke with a shocked tone.

"What do you mean. You're scaring me, Stefan. What are you saying? What about saving Jeremy?" Elena asked, turning towards him, her hands still in his lap as he smirked at her.

"I'm saying we get as far away from California, from New York, from any of those damn states as possible. I 'm saying that we run and never look back. That you and I start over together, in a totally different state or country even. I'd have Damon knock some sense into your brother, just so that he could get the help that he needs. Elena, Alaric has turned him into this little minion and he's too far gone...I don't know if he'll ever be the same again." Stefan confessed, watching as Elena suddenly got up from sitting next to him, a mixture of sadness and anger on her face.

" I love you, Stefan and it means a lot to me that you want to keep me safe. But, I'm not going anywhere without my brother! That's why I joined you in this. That's what this whole damn thing was about! To save my brother! What about everyone else..Caroline, Tyler and Damon...Katherine, even?" Elena asked him, her voice rising as she exhaled deeply and held onto her stomach that was churning from Stefan's words.

"Look, they would find a way out of this. Trust me, I know that they would. But, as far as your brother goes. We could send for Jeremy later, once he gets clean with the department's and hospital's help. Once you and I were far away from here. Elena, I'm not going anywhere without you, I am not letting you go..I don't want to! So, tell me...it's your choice. What do you want to do?" Stefan asked her, watching as Elena breathed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose as she glanced over at him and opened her mouth to respond with hesitation and fear in her voice.

* * *

**A/N: Oh...Cliffhanger! ;) So, what do you all think Elena will say? Do you like where this story is heading? Sound off with a review and let me know! **

**Thanks for reading & Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time-**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey all! So, here's CH.17! It's a little short. But, I hope you all like it. I guess it's kind of filler chapter too. But, We'll find out more about what Elijah wants with Elena in CH.18. I promise! :) **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us- **

"I just got you back! I spent sleepless nights, thinking that you were dead! And now, you want me to decide if we should become fugitives...What the hell did they give you in that hospital? What kind of drugs are you on! Listen to yourself, Stefan! I can't leave...I can't leave without my brother...and because of that, I have to say that I can't go either." Elena told him. Tears spilling over her eyes and cheeks, spilling over on the shirt that she wore, that filled the room with the scent of him.

"All I'm trying to do is think of something to keep you safe, to keep you alive. Elena! Damn it! I can't watch him take you away from me. I won't be able to survive it...I love you so much!" Stefan told her, getting up from the seat on the bed and standing in front of her on wobbly legs, tears in his darkened green eyes as he spoke.

"Everything I've done so far is to keep you safe. The undercover mission in New York. I wasn't planning on falling in love with you. But, when you and I were apart..I thought about you every day. It killed me inside to know that I couldn't contact you, that I couldn't hear your voice. So, you can hate me for it. But, that's all I'm trying to do now...protect you like I did back then." He told her. Stefan watched as Elena crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him, tightly. Crying into his shoulder as she spoke in a broken voice.

"I know. I know you are. But, I was so scared for you. Stefan, I don't want to ever feel like that again. I don't want to be without you...anymore..I love you too...I love you so much that I never want to let you go." She told him, lifting up her head to see his face, to kiss his chapped lips.

He ran his hands through her hair as he exhaled deeply, a staggering an painful breath that even the medication that he was given at the hospital in Phoenix, didn't seem to help him with.

"I am going to figure this out. I promise, Elena. I'm not going to give up on you...on us." He told her, kissing the top of her head as they stood there in silence, listening to the room fill with nothing but their synchronized breathes.

* * *

"He's lying about the accident. You don't get lacerations like the ones the nurse was covering up on his stomach and his sides, from being in a car accident. He was beaten by someone and once I find out who. I'm going to kill him." Damon stated angrily, crumpling a piece of paper in his hands and slamming his fists against the counter top, hearing Caroline let out a gasped breath.

"You don't think he would try to run with her..do you? I mean, if he was beaten..I'm sure someone is looking for him or maybe made an agreement with him for something..So, maybe he wants to run with Elena..It's a possibility...If you're trying to say that he was really beaten, maybe he was threatened too." Caroline commented, jumping off of the barstool in the kitchen and turning around towards both Tyler and Damon who were standing in front of her with their hands on their hips and glancing down at their feet, both of the men, deep in thought about the situation.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Tyler told them, pivoting on his feet and turning towards the stairs.

"No, Tyler! I'm his brother. I'm going to talk to him about it." Damon told him, trying to get past Tyler as he shoved him out of the way.

"Damon! I've been through a lot with him and I know what he's going through. I was tortured once. Kidnapped, tied down and I thought I was going to die by the hands of my kidnappers. So, excuse me as I go and talk to him. I'm sorry, Damon. You tried and he blatantly lied to you! So, let me see if he's going to tell me anything." Tyler told him, elbowing Damon in the chest, hard as he heard the older Salvatore brother yelp out in pain.

"He won't tell you anything, Tyler! You'll be wasting your breath! Especially, if Elena is in there..He doesn't want her to worry!" Damon shouted, feeling Caroline try to help him sit on a chair in the living room. But, Damon refused her help and pushed her off of him. "I'm fine!" He told her as he sat down and watched, Tyler ascend up the stairs.

Tyler knocked on the bedroom door two times until he was met with a set of red eyes and a puffy gaze coming from Elena's usually bright brown eyes. In the pit of his stomach, he knew that something was wrong and that he needed to figure out what it was, from the source himself..Stefan.

"Can I come in?" He asked Elena softly, watching as she nodded and opened the door wider.

"He just took his meds. He's a bit out of it...But, I'll be down stairs if you need anything." Elena said, hearing as Tyler exhaled deeply and ran his hands through his hair before closing the door behind him.

* * *

Tyler watched as Stefan groaned in pain, pushing himself up from the pillow that he had under his head and resting his body against it instead. He looked over at Tyler with worried eyes as he watched his best friend, his handler at one point in countless missions look around the room and notice a few empty duffels bags.

"Stefan, you don't need to lie to me. I know what happened to you..I just don't know who did it." Tyler commented, watching as Stefan closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"You have no idea what happened to me, Tyler. I was stuck in a car for-" He began to say as Tyler laughed, smiling in a disbelieving tone and shaking his head back and forth.

"You're lying! I know those marks, I know why your wrists are bandaged too and I know the real reason. Damon took you to the hospital before you went on the plane! They tortured you, Stefan and they threatened your life, maybe even ours and Elena's. If you told anyone about it!" Tyler explained, exhaling a shaky breath as he watched Stefan slowly swing his legs over the bed and place his hands on the back of his head, leaning back a bit and breathing deeply.

"How did you know?" He asked Tyler in a quiet tone. Watching as Tyler took a seat next to him, placing his hand on his knee.

"Because, Stefan. It happened to me a few years ago..and I know what you're going through. Believe me. But, running. I mean, if that's what you were planning on doing. It won't solve anything. You'd lose your life, your career to become the one thing that we work our asses off every single day trying to put in jail. A fugitive, a criminal." Tyler told him, hearing as Stefan let out a laugh and then clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth before he spoke.

"Tyler...That's the thing. I'm willing to give it all up for-" Stefan began just as they heard a loud boom downstairs and the spine chilling screams coming out of the mouths of the girls.

"What the hell is going on?" Tyler asked, locking his eyes on Stefan as he got up and walked over to the dresser, pulling out one of their hidden guns that they had stashed there, just in case of emergencies.

Tyler ran downstairs quickly, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the sudden destruction and the two men attempting to drag Elena out of the house. His voice getting caught in his throat and his feet feeling like they were cemented to the stairs as he felt Stefan's presence behind him and they both watched the intruder gaze up at them with an evil smirk.

"Well, Hello boys! Alaric and I have been searching all of the foreclosed homes in the area and we decided to check this one out for fun! You'd imagine my surprise when blondie over hear literally let us waltz right now with a little bit of force, of course. And pick up our beautiful girl over here." Elijah said, gripping his hand over Elena's mouth tightly and watching her squirm, trying to escape the rough hold he had on her body.

"You let her go right now! I won't hesitate to shoot you, Elijah! Let her go!" Tyler yelled at him, pointing the gun directly at him as he turned slightly and heard Stefan gasp in pain. "Tyler!"

Tyler seemed to be too focused on Elijah, pointing the gun in his now shaking hands directly at him as Stefan spoke in a concerned tone again, shaking Tyler's shoulder a bit. "Tyler! Damn it...Look!"

Tyler turned to the side, suddenly feeling knots in his stomach and the bile rise into his throat, when he saw the tall young brown haired man, that looked unrecognized able to the photos that they had seen over the years. But, it didn't take long for it to all fall into place when they heard Elijah shout and then Elena screamed his name into the tension filled air. "Jeremy, it's me! Jeremy, look at me..It's your sister..Elena."

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**Thanks for reading & Until Next Time!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey all! Thank you guys so much for all your reviews and kind words on this story. As I promised to one of my readers, a New Years gift. This one is for you! **

**Hope you like it! Enjoy! :) **

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-The Thin Line Between Us- **

Elena walked over to him slowly, watching as he held the gun in his shaking hands. She heard everyone else around her, seemingly holding their breathes. No one daring to move from where they were as they watched her.

"Jeremy. It's me...Elena...your sister." She repeated, placing her palms towards the ground as she watched her brother glance at her briefly.

"Please, don't do this..Jer...Please. Let it go..Give me the gun. You don't want to do this." Elena pleaded. She watched as he pointed it towards Tyler and then back up at Stefan who was right behind him.

"Jeremy, listen to your sister. You don't want to do this." Stefan told him in a calmed tone as he watched Elena slowly make her way towards him, finally stepping in front of her brother and placing her sweaty and shaking hands on top of his arms gently.

"Shut up! All of you! Just, shut up!" Jeremy screamed. Just when he heard Elijah chuckle a bit.

"That's a good boy. You get this done! Don't listen to them! Do it!" Elijah screamed in a loud voice as he walked up to Elena, slapping her in the face as she screamed and Jeremy watched her hold her now bloodied face in her hands and fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Do it, Jeremy! Just like we talked about. These people ruined your life. Remember what I helped you with, I made you into the person you are now..The most untouchable man ever." Elijah told him, stepping behind him and whispering against his ear.

"You don't want them to ruin that...do you? They'll throw you in jail for what you've done. But, I have a way of getting you out. I have connections that can make all of those charges disappear. All you have to do is get rid of them..all of them. Listen to me, Jeremy..you kill them and your problems will be gone." Elijah told him, watching as Jeremy's body tensed and then he locked his eyes on Tyler and Stefan who were still standing on the stairs in a frozen state.

"Don't listen to him, Jer. He's brainwashing you, he's making you think that it won't matter if you kill us all. But, it will...you'll live with the guilt every single day..you don't want to do that." Elena countered in a soft tone as she watched Elijah walk over to her. He stood in front of her, hovering over her with an evil filled smirk on his face.

"I'm not brainwashing him! He's learning from me...You're the one planting nonsense in his head. So, just shut up already!" Elijah yelled, pulling Elena up by the strands of her long hair as her cries filled the room.

But, they were silenced when Elijah turned around, dragging Elena by her hair and bringing her in front of her brother. "Do it, Jeremy...Do it or I will. I won't hesitate either in killing this dumb bitch!" He screamed, pulling her to her feet as she yelped out in pain.

Suddenly, something snapped in the younger Gilbert as he took a step back, closing his eyes for a brief moment and exhaling deeply. He glanced over at his sister in a saddened way, a guilt ridden way and just when he pointed the gun towards her, Elijah voice screaming at him to just go through with it. Jeremy Gilbert snapped, pointing the gun at the man that had ruined him and took him away from the one person who had been fighting to get him back this whole time, his sister.

It all seemed to happen so fast that she was in a state of shock. Elena screamed, falling onto the tiled floor right beside a bloodied and gasping, Elijah. She never even felt Jeremy lift her up and move her outside of the house, she never even noticed Tyler and Stefan standing over Elijah and then she didn't seem to hear anything else. Because once Jeremy took her far enough away from the sound of bullets and the screaming sounds that were coming from the house, his older sister blacked out.

* * *

The sirens and Caroline's soothing voice were what woke up her as Elena lifted her head off of the soft pillow that she was laying on. Elena's voice was raw as she looked over at her best friend, gripping her hand and locking her eyes on her.

"What happened? Where's Jeremy? Is he okay?" Elena said in panicked tone, feeling as a strong hand stopped her from getting up, his firm grip feeling familiar on her cold skin.

"He's fine. Elena. He's fine, he went to talk to one of our detectives. You passed out and we're just taking a little ambulance ride to the hospital." Stefan commented, gripping her other hand into his as he squeezed it tightly, moving a strand of her hair behind her ears.

"What happened to Elijah..is he-?" Elena began to ask as she heard Caroline let out a sudden sob and then she darted her dark brown eyes from Stefan and back to a now crying Caroline.

"He's not going to hurt anymore, Elena. He's gone..for good." Stefan told her, watching as he nodded at Caroline and she sniffled.

"Yeah, he's not going to hurt anyone anymore..ever." Caroline commented, wiping away at her tears as she went back to holding onto Elena's hand and sitting across from Stefan.

"Where's Tyler, Damon and...Alaric..did they get Alaric too?" Elena asked, once again trying to lift up her head as she felt Stefan stroke the right side of her cheek.

"It's okay. You just rest, everyone is fine. I promise you. We're all okay. Just try to get some rest. We'll be here when you get up. We're not going anywhere." Stefan commented, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he watched the EMT lean towards Elena, placing the blood pressure monitor around her arms and checking her vitals.

* * *

Her head was pounding, the florescent lights took a while to adjust to as she blinked her eyes open and groaned. Elena nearly gasped when she saw a woman with dark hair in her hospital room, her back turned towards Elena as she cleared her throat and turned on her heels and smiled softly at her.

"Hello, Miss Gilbert. You gave us quite a scare today." She told her, watching as Elena tensed at the sound of her voice, carefully eyeing her when she took a seat in the chair that was near the door in her hospital room.

"Who are you?" She asked, watching as the woman moved a strand of her long dark hair from her face and glued her eyes on the frightened brunette.

"My name is Bonnie Bennett and I'm Stefan's old partner from Albany, New York. I just wanted to come in and say that your one brave woman. I just got a call from our head UC director and he's very impressed in the way you were able handle yourself in this mission." Bonnie commented, watching as Elena rubbed her head and gave her a weak smile.

"I was trained by the best..I mean, Stefan's a really good teacher." Elena commented, leaning back against the pillows and groaning a bit from the pain in her head.

"Yes. He is. And, that's why after he get's cleared by the department. Stefan will be getting a promotion to training officer, in his new precinct. When we all get back to New York, Stefan will no longer have to be under cover, that is if he decides to not be. Also, because of the way that the operation went down. We were able to disassemble Elijah and Alaric's gangs, completely. I wanted to give you something for that, by the way." Bonnie commented with a weak smile as she turned and pulled out a shiny and golden object that looked like a shield.

"What's this for?" Elena asked, glancing down at it and watching as Bonnie placed it into Elena's shaking hands.

"It's my way of telling you that you are officially part of our team & welcoming you into it. We want you to come for work us, Elena. You clearly have what it takes to be a training officer, right alongside Stefan and train other informants for missions that are undercover. I've already talked to the department in New York City and even though it is very unconventional that we take a former gang member and turn them into one of our team members. They were very impressed in the way you handled yourself during this operation and they want you." Bonnie informed her as she watched Elena inhale deeply and tears began to well up into her eyes.

"Are you sure about this..What about my brother? Is he going to be charged with anything? What about Alaric coming after me for placing him in jail." Elena rambled as she watched Bonnie get up from her seat and smile at her, placing her warm hand into Elena's as she gave her a sincere smile.

"Jeremy is going to be on probation for a while. But, he won't be charged with anything because he was defending himself. And, as far as Alaric goes..We're sending him to a maximum security prison for the remainder of his natural life." Bonnie commented, lifting up her hand from the brunette and smiling at her softly.

"What about Katherine Pierce?" Elena asked in a sad tone, swallowing hard at the sound of Katherine's name.

"Katherine Pierce is recovering from her drug overdose in Florida. We've already made arrangements for Damon Salvatore to go and live near her, so that she has a support system." Bonnie commented, turning her back towards Elena and walking over to the door as she opened it quietly.

"Miss Bennett." Elena called out in a raspy tone as she watched Bonnie turn back towards her with a nod.

"Can you call my brother and tell him that I love him and that I'm sorry for dragging him into this mess." Elena asked, biting the bottom of her lip as she watched Bonnie give her a soft smile.

"I can do one better than a phone call. I can have you tell him yourself. He's been waiting outside of your room for the last hour. Waiting to see you, just like everyone else is." She told her as she exited the room and Elena exhaled deeply, watching when Jeremy appeared in front of her with tears in his eyes, slowly making his way towards his sister and hugging her tightly, whispering against her hair at how sorry he was for everything.

* * *

** A/N: So, I'm planning on doing one or two more updates before i wrap this story up. The next update will have alot of SE and Elena & Jeremy moments. :) Since, they all have a lot of catching up to do!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time-**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's taken so long to update this one! But, here it is! Hope you liked CH.19! Please let me know what you all think, It means to much to me as a writer to know what my readers think. :) **

**Enjoy& Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN- The Thin Line Between Us **

Elena watched as Jeremy made his way inside of the hospital room, not daring to make any eye contact with her as he took a seat in a chair that was across from her bed and placed his hands in his lap.

"Jer...I'm sorry, for everything..Jeremy I should of helped you, believed you when you told me that you were in trouble. But, I didn't and I'm sorry. I hope that you can forgive me." Elena told him, weakness in her voice as she placed her head back against the pillow that was behind her and closed her eyes. Exhaling deeply, fighting the tears that were threatening to spill over on her cheeks.

"I was a stupid kid. Back then, Elena..Elijah threatened me and told me that he would kill all of you, he had me so damn addicted to those drugs and to wrapped up in my own addiction that I still struggle with it to this day! None of it was your fault, Elena..Don't blame yourself for something that I did. I choose to believe that Elijah and the vipers would create me into a man, into something that I really craved. I mean, I won't lie to you and tell you that I didn't love the power I got from being with a group that got whatever we wanted, whoever we wanted at anytime or in any place...I felt like the most untouchable person on earth. Until, I started the drugs...Then, it all went downhill." Jeremy explained as he got up from his chair and brought it closer to sit next to Elena, leaning forward to hold his sister's hand as she breathed out a shaky breath and cleared her throat to speak.

"Why didn't you try to contact me..to at least tell me that you were alive?" Elena asked, squeezing her brothers hand as he locked his eyes on her and inhaled through gritted teeth.

"They didn't want me too. They told me that if you or anyone else tried to stop them, that they would make your life a living hell! I didn't want that for you, Elena...I wanted you safe and far away from all of this." Jeremy told her softly.

"My life was a living hell for so long without you! And, all I wanted was to have my brother home! I didn't give a damn what anyone thought of me, Jeremy when I went into The Vipers. I was willing to die for you, because all I wanted was for you to live the life that you were supposed to live. Not a drug addicted life with drug dealers and gang members! Don't you get that...Elijah almost killed me on so many occasions. But, I didn't care because all of it lead to just a few more clues, to a few more steps to being closer to my brother and the answers I needed to be able to find you! I wasn't giving up Jeremy, and I still never will. You're my brother and I love you so much." Elena told him, letting go of his hand and gently wrapping her arms around him.

Jeremy's eyes began to fill with tears as he nodded and placed his head on Elena's shoulder, holding her tightly to him as he embraced her back and whispered against her ear. "I'm here now, Elena. I'm never leaving you again. And, I want to rebuild our bond..Like the close one we had when we were kids..Speaking of, How are mom and dad doing...Do they know that you found me yet?" He asked her, hearing as Elena yawned and then shook her head.

"No, They have no idea about any of this..I stopped talking to them after they continuously blamed me for your disappearance. They kicked me out and told me to never come back...I haven't spoken to them in a few years." Elena explained sadly as she watched her brother's face harden and his speech became serious.

"They shouldn't blame you for the choices that I made..It wasn't your fault. I'll call them in a few weeks, after I get out of rehab..I'll explain everything and then maybe, you and I can go see them, talk to them and convince them that you had nothing to do with what happened to me. " Jeremy explained as he watched Elena turn her head to look at him with confusion in her brown eyes.

"Rehab...for what?" Elena asked, watching as Jeremy gave her a smile and then leaned back into his chair as he spoke.

"I'm still fighting with some internal struggles that I need to let go of and it's part of my probation. The program at the rehab clinic will help me with that. It's in New York, so..We'll be close...You can come visit me, whenever you want too." Jeremy told her, leaning forward and kissing Elena's cheek as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

"I would love that..We can catch up on all the things that you've missed out on." She commented as she pushed a strand of her hair behind her ears and smiled.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to it..Sis. I..uh, I have to get ready to leave. My plane leaves tonight, right after I get out from the interrogation room and tell them everything I know about The Vipers...or what's left of them for that matter. Oh, by the way...Who's the guy that was holding your hand earlier, at the house after the whole thing with Alaric and Elijah went down." Jeremy asked as he got up from his chair and backed away from Elena's bed, turning to straighten himself up.

"He's someone special and very important to me. I'll tell you all about it, when we have that coffee in a few weeks. I'll miss you, Jeremy. But, please know that if you ever need me at any time when you're feeling alone at the rehab center..I'm just a phone call away. I love you." Elena told him, watching as he nodded and then grabbed the door handle to leave the room. But, Jeremy stopped short when he turned his head to lock his eyes on his sister and speak over his shoulder.

"I love you too, Elena and I'll be waiting on that phone call. We have a lot of years to catch up on. And, just so you know...if this guy that you like...doesn't treat you well, let him know that you're brother will deal with him." Jeremy told her with a wink as he turned around and opened the door, almost knocking right into Stefan who was just about to knock on Elena's door.

Elena could hear them exchange polite 'hellos' to each other as she watched from the corner of her eye when Stefan walked in and shut the door behind him.

"So, I got debriefed from the department..Sorry it took so long and that I wasn't really here when you woke up." Stefan told her, watching as Elena scooted to the other side of the small twin sized hospital bed and patted down the blanket that was on it, signaling for him to sit next to her.

"It's okay. I know you've been through a lot lately. " Elena commented softly, watching as Stefan took his shoes off and moved the blanket that she was laying underneath back, lying next to her slowly and pulling Elena closer towards him, watching as she laid her head on his chest, her fingers intertwining with his.

"It's okay...You're here now and I love you for it." Elena told him, nuzzling against his chest and feeling as Stefan tightened his grip around her, kissing the top of her head.

"Elena..I-" Stefan began to say as he felt her exhale and then she spoke softly, tracing the lines of the palm of his hand with her fingertips.

"It's okay, Stefan..We don't need to decide what we're going to be when we get back to New York. I guess, we'll figure it out." Elena told him.

"I know what I want us to be when we get back to New York. I want you to be my girlfriend, for real this time...for keeps. I want to keep you safe, I want to get to know you outside of this damn world of crime..I want to kiss you, to hold you and I want to show you, what love really feels like. That is, if you want me too." Stefan told her, placing his hand under her chin and lifting her face up to kiss her lips.

Elena licked her lips, tasting the flavor of mocha coffee in her mouth when she gently caressed his face and then pulled back from him, locking her eyes on Stefan as she spoke in a raw and emotion filled voice, tears streaming down her reddened cheeks. "I don't want anyone else. But, you! I love you, Stefan and I want you in my life, no matter what. I don't want us to ever be separated like we were again." Elena replied, leaning in to kiss him once more as she felt Stefan's hand tighten around her, holding her tighter as he nodded.

"I can't wait to spend all my days and nights, like this.. coming home to you..holding you close, loving you..my beautiful girlfriend." Stefan told her, kissing her cheeks as he heard Elena yawn and Stefan covered them up more with an extra blanket that was by her feet, feeling his own eyes start to droop when he carefully pulled Elena closer to him and began to fall asleep, getting lost in the synchronized sounds of their heartbeats, matching each other's sounds.

* * *

** Follow me on Twitter for updates at:Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time-**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey all, So I've decided that I will be writing one more Chapter and then wrapping up this story. I might also write an Epilogue as well. Just thought I would let you all know. **

**Thanks for reading & Enjoy! **

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-The Thin Line Between Us-**

It had been three weeks since they had both been debriefed by the police department in California and had finally made their home in New York. Since leaving the hospital, Elena was feeling safe again. She and Stefan had moved in together because he had wanted to keep an eye on her. Although most of the threats of Alaric and Elijah had gone away in the last few months. She would still find herself calling Jeremy a lot at the rehab clinic, making sure that her little brother wasn't getting into too much trouble at his new home.

"I bet you that he's fine." Stefan told her, grabbing her by the wrist gently and pulling her closer towards him.

"Yeah, you say that at the moment. But, Stefan..I haven't heard from him in two days..Since, we got back to New York..I heard from him every day. I just need to make sure he's okay. Alright..Just tell the big bad boss..that I'll be running late for training today." Elena commented, kissing Stefan on the cheek and backing away from him for a moment.

"Are you going up there to visit him..alone?" Stefan asked, slipping his shirt over his head and placing his badge around his neck.

"Yes, Training officer..Salvatore. I am! Do you have a problem with it?" Elena asked him in a teasing manner, making her way out of their small bedroom and walking into the kitchen.

"Well, I was thinking that I could take the day off today..I mean, it's just going to be an instructional meeting about how this new job is going to work, you know explaining which one of us will be teaching what and who will be working with each of us. So, I figured that you and I could take a little trip to the rehab clinic to see Jeremy and then maybe we can make a little pit stop at a nice little restaurant on the way back for lunch." Stefan told her, watching as Elena briefly looked down at her feet and then back up at him, smiling.

"Okay. But, you need to stop babying me. Ever since we got back here and moved in together..Stefan, you're smothering me a little..I'm fine. Okay, I would tell you if I wasn't..Alaric is in prison forever and Elijah is dead...We can finally live our lives the way we've wanted too." Elena told him, going over to the sink to wash a dirty coffee cup. Yet, she could feel Stefan eyeing her as he laughed a bit.

"I'm sorry. Okay..I just worry about you..This boyfriend thing is new to me..and, I worry about you because, I love you! I love you and I don't anything bad to happen to you, ever! I don't know, I mean I talked to Damon today and he said that Katherine is doing better, he's planning on staying in Florida for a while with her and then he asked how you and I were. And, I told him that you're fine. But, I'm the one who is struggling!" Stefan confessed, watching as Elena shut off the hot running water and placed the cup down, turning around to face him as she spoke.

"Struggling? Stefan. We are alive, we're here...together and we made it out, alive. I love you and I know that this whole "real" couple thing is scaring you. But, it scares me too..Yet, We have each other now." Elena told him, stepping away from the sink and stepping in front of him, taking his right hand and placing it on her chest. Right on her heart, watching as Stefan closed his eyes.

"I'm alive..You are alive and we're okay..together. We're safe and sound. Nothing or no one will ever come between us, again." Elena told him, feeling as his other hand made its way to the back of her shirt, slipping his warm hand underneath her shirt as she locked her eyes on him, licking her lips before she pressed them against Stefan's in a passionate kiss.

Stefan stumbled back, trying to grab onto anything he could so that they wouldn't go flying backwards. But, the only thing that he could grab onto was the back of the couch, feeling as Elena smiled against his lips and sensing as her hands helped him pull his shirt over his head.

"How about those ten minutes that you owe me...you never really paid up in California." Stefan teased in a suggestive way, pulling Elena's black shirt over her head and leaving her in a purple bra. She smiled again, laughing and nipping on his lower lip as Stefan groaned. He watched as Elena grinned at him, leaning in to kiss him once more, placing her hand onto his chest.

"How about I shorten it...five minutes...our new bedroom...starting...now." Elena said with a wink, turning around and unzipping her shorts, leaving them in the middle of the hallway as she watched Stefan gawk at her.

"Five minutes?" Stefan asked, swallowing the lump in his throat as he watched her slowly turn around with a grin. "Yes, five minutes. See you soon!" Elena said with a giggle as she stepped into their bedroom, shutting the door behind her when she heard Stefan finally let out the breath that he was holding.

"What is it, Big bad undercover officer...? Do I make you nervous?" Elena said in a teasing voice as she heard Stefan in the living room, from what it sounded like, he was pacing the hallway.

"Unlock the door, Elena! You seem to forget I have experience in knocking unlocked doors down." He commented, a smile lingering on his face as he thought about what Elena was doing in their room.

"I'll be just a few more minutes...hang on, Mr. Salvatore." Elena told him, hearing as he leaned his head against the door and exhaled.

"I'm waiting..But, I swear if-" Stefan began to say, just when he heard the door unlock and a laugh escaped from Elena's throat.

"So, I think we'll need more than five minutes.." Elena commented, slipping off her robe as Stefan's eyes grew wide and Elena watched him bit down hard on his lower lip.

"Wow! You...Your...you are barely..wearing..anyth- Under-That...thing." Stefan tried to say, stumbling over his words as he watched Elena smile at him, walking up to him and pushing him back onto the bed as she jumped up on the bed next to him, straddling his body.

"Want to hear a secret?" Elena asked, leaning against Stefan as she ran her hands up and down his stomach, her finger tips lingering on his black belt buckle.

"Uhh...I..." Stefan said, his voice trailing off as he felt Elena lean into him more, grinding her hips against his as she kissed his cheek and caressed his face.

"Yes!" Stefan said quickly, hearing a small chuckle escape past Elena's lips.

"I think we're going to need more than 5 minutes for what I have planned for you...We need a little stress reliever. Don't ya think?" She commented, hearing his voice hitch and his green eyes grow wide with desire, feeling as Elena began to unbuckle his pants.

"Agreed!" Stefan finally stammered out as he placed his hands on her skin and leaned into Elena, kissing her collarbone gingerly as she began to place slow and soft kisses against his exposed stomach.

* * *

She wanted to stay in his arms forever, just like they were now. Legs intertwined with each others, Elena's head was gently resting on Stefan's bare chest and she was engulfed in the smell of him because she was wearing one of his police academy shirts.

"You're glowing." Stefan told her, leaning in and kissing her lips gently, running his hands through her hair as Elena giggled.

"Yeah, I know...I love you." She commented, running her hands through Stefan's hair as he smiled down at her.

"We can just skip going to see him. I'm sure that your right...My brother is probably fine." Elena uttered, watching as Stefan grabbed her hand into his, squeezing it a bit as he spoke.

"No, We're going to go see your brother. Elena..and, even if you don't like it..I'm coming with you to make sure that your safe!" Stefan commented, watching as Elena stirred and lifted up her head to look over at him.

"I'm okay with that, I'm okay with you always wanting to protect me. But, you need someone to protect you too...Someone to look over you too. You can't always protect everyone, if no one is watching over you...I want you safe too." Elena told him, kissing Stefan's face and caressing his cheeks, watching him close his eyes to her touch.

"Well, I've got you for that." Stefan told her, lifting up his hand and running his fingers through her long brown hair, pulling her head towards him to leave another fiery kiss against her lips.

* * *

Even though she had reluctantly left the warmth of their bed, Elena had held onto Stefan's hand as she called Jeremy, only letting go briefly to move a strand of her hair and to hang up the phone after she got done explaining to her brother that she knew it was early in the morning, but she still needed to see him. "I just talked to Jeremy, told him that we're on our way. He's looking forward to it." Elena told Stefan, letting go of his hand again and looking out the window instead at the greenery that surrounded the roadway.

"We are going to fine. Everyone is going to be fine, Elena. I promise." Stefan told her, taking his hand off the steering wheel and caressing her cheek as she quickly glanced over at Stefan, smiling softly.

"I know. But, why do I keep getting this feeling like this whole thing isn't done yet. I mean, Jeremy almost sounded nervous and anxious for some reason when I talked to him." Elena explained, leaning her head back onto the headrest and closing her eyes again.

"Probably because it's 8am in the morning and you just told your brother that you and I are coming to visit him. Elena, he hasn't seen you in a while and maybe that's why he's nervous." Stefan told her reassuringly, grabbing onto her hand once again and smiling to himself as he watched her look back out the car window, getting lost in her thoughts.

* * *

Elena smiled widely when she saw the rehab clinic where Jeremy had told her that he was, where she knew that he was safe and she could tell that he was in a nice place as she watched Stefan park the car and she couldn't even wait any longer, jumping out of the car and running towards the entrance of the building. Elena could hear that Stefan was yelling after her, a smile on his face as he locked the door behind him and made his way inside the clinic, calmly.

"I'm here to see Jeremy Gilbert." Elena told the blonde haired receptionist as she locked her eyes on the brunette, flipping through a visitors log and handing it to Elena.

"Sign in here. I think that he's in the court yard..If you go down the hallway and outside to those double doors..You'll see a row of chairs and tables that the patients sit down at, sometimes." The blonde explained as she smiled at them, watching when Stefan came up behind Elena and wrapped his arms around her, thanking the lady and then leading Elena out the doors to the back of the building.

"You ready for this?" Stefan asked her, turning the corner as he grabbed her hand into his. He watched as she nodded at him, smiling widely.

But, Stefan watched suddenly when Elena's smile faded, and her legs nearly froze. He said nothing as Elena covered her mouth with her hands and just pointed in front of her in total shock.

"Oh my god!" Elena said in amazement, glancing over at Jeremy who was sitting with an older brunette haired woman and an almost bald and grey haired looking man.

"Who is that, Elena?" Stefan asked her, looking away from her shocked face and then back to the couple that were holding hands and leaning over to hold Jeremy's hands into their own as well.

"It's my parents..." Elena said, her voice trailing off as she looked over at Stefan with water eyes and shook her head.

"I can't face them..Not after everything I did. Not after everything that happened!" Elena exclaimed, pushing herself against the wall, watching Stefan place his hands onto his hips and glance up at her, determination in his eyes to get her to speak with them, to make her realize that it would be okay.

"Yes, you can. Elena, if they can come here and forgive Jeremy for everything, they can forgive you too. Look at me..We can do this." Stefan told her, leaning into her and kissing her lips softly, placing his forehead against hers. Elena felt herself being pushed away from the protective warmth of the wall and Stefan pulled her against him. "We're okay..I've got this." He told her, whispering against her ear, kissing the side of her face as they made their way towards the table where Jeremy and Elena's parents were sitting at.

"Good Morning, Mrs. and Mr. Gilbert." Stefan spoke first, holding onto Elena's hand tightly as she looked down at the floor and then glanced up at her mother's watery eyes, watching when she got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked in front of Elena, speaking in a soft tone as she embraced her daughter tightly.

"Oh, Elena! Thank God, you're alive! Thank God, you are here. We've missed you so much." Miranda said, not wanting to let go of her daughter, stroking Elena's long brown hair, and hearing as she spoke in between choking sobs. "I've missed you too, mom."

* * *

**So, Elena & Jeremy are finally reunited with her parents! Yey! :) **

**-Until Next Time-**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at:Green_Eyes1989**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Alright readers! This is the LAST CHAPTER to this sequel of "The Thin Line Between Love and War". The last chapter is a bit short, but I kind of felt like it would be perfect to end it here. I just wanted to say thank you guys so much for talking me into writing this story. I've loved it so much and because of that, I will be writing an Epilogue too..which will focus on everyone that has been in the story! :) **

**Thank you all for reading & Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE-The Thin Line Between Us **

Stefan watched as Elena sat in between her parents, both of them seeming to have aged over the years since he had last seen pictures of them. The same night that he had a case file of The Vipers gang members come cross his desk, which had also included a note from the Gilbert's which had talked about their missing son, Jeremy and a photograph of them with Jeremy, explaining that they needed a police officer's help in their search.

"So, who's the handsome police officer?" Miranda asked with a wide smile, pulling Elena closer to her and kissing her daughters cheeks, wiping away at her own tears and sniffling softly.

"Wow, I never knew that you could tell I was a cop that easily." Stefan commented, laughing a bit as he heard Grayson laugh too.

"You just have the good guy look going on and I'm assuming that your someone very special to my daughter, since she was holding your hand earlier, clutching it for dear life. Are you the new boyfriend?" Grayson asked with a smile, patting Stefan's shoulder and glancing up at him.

"Uh...Yeah. I am. Look, Mr. Gilbert. I love your daughter very much and-" Stefan began to say, watching as Elena leaned forward with a smile, chiming into the conversation.

"Mom, Dad... Stefan, is the one who saved my life. I owe him everything. I love him, very much and I can't imagine my life without him." Elena commented, getting up from her parents embrace and going to sit next to Stefan in an empty chair, holding his hand tightly as he smiled at her when she sat down next to him.

"Thank you, for saving them. We know that you had a lot to do with the rescue of our son as well. Thank you, Mr. Salvatore." Grayson told him, shaking Stefan's free hand and locking his teary eyes on the green eyed police officer.

" Please, just call me Stefan. You're very welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert. You've got a beautiful family and I'm glad that I was able to help them make it out of the life..safely." Stefan commented, patting Jeremy's back and locking his eyes on him in a comforting way.

"Yeah, Thank you...For saving my life too, Stefan. I mean it. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead. I know that this place isn't where I really wanted to end up. But, it's a new chapter to a new life that I actually am looking forward to living, to enjoying it for the first time in a very long time." Jeremy replied, watching as Stefan nodded at him.

"You're welcome. I'm glad that your home safe." Stefan told him, smiling up at Jeremy and then looking over at Miranda and Grayson who were now sitting closer towards each other.

"Uh, Stefan..Jeremy...Do you guys mind if I speak with my parents, alone for a few minutes?" Elena asked suddenly, letting go of Stefan's hand and watching them both nod in understanding, getting up from their chairs and walking only a few feet away, both of them glancing over their shoulders to make sure that Elena wasn't too nervous.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry for everything that happened when Jeremy was away and for leaving to go find him. I'm sorry for all of it..I should have listened to you guys. I should of had the police handle it and not get myself into the mess that I did." Elena commented, watching as her parents gave her a saddened look, both of them grabbing onto each of Elena's hands as they spoke directly to her.

"Sweetheart, what's in the past is in the past, now. We all make mistakes and we learn from them. Honey, your mother and I were angry and we never should have kicked you out of the house, we should have never blamed you for what happened to Jeremy because it wasn't your fault, Elena. We should have seen the signs of his addiction, of his problems and we should have listened to you when you came to us that night and told us about what he was getting into." Grayson told her, rubbing his thumb across his daughters hand and leaning into her, wiping away the falling tears that were now making a presence on Elena's face.

"We're sorry, honey...for everything too. I don't want to live in the past anymore, I want to watch your brother make progress and get better and then maybe we can all rebuild this family, make up for all the time that we lost, together." Miranda commented, kissing the top of Elena's hand as she exhaled a breath and watched Elena nod, tears cascading down her face as she spoke to them.

"I would love that, I would love to make up for time lost and to create new memories with you, with Jeremy and my friends.." Elena said, her voice trailing off as she watched her dad nod and smile widely.

"And, that very nice looking young man that you call your boyfriend, You should make a few memories with him." Grayson added, winking at Elena as he watched her laugh a bit.

"Yes. With Stefan too." Elena replied, locking her eyes on her parents and smiling widely as she turned around and watched for a brief moment. Stefan and Jeremy walking around the court yard, talking and laughing with each other as if they were the best of friends.

* * *

"How's rehab treating you?" Stefan asked him, smiling as he heard Jeremy laugh too.

"It's good. I can't wait to be out of here though. I mean, I miss having a bit of freedom." He commented, watching as Stefan glanced up at him.

"I know. But, once you get out of here and start to live your life, wherever it will take you. Jeremy, I want you to know that if you ever need anything, anything at all. Please, don't hesitate to call me or Elena. Your sister really loves you and if you needed anything at all, she would drop everything just to be by your side. And, I know how hard getting through stuff like this is. So, I would do the same as well." Stefan explained, watching as Jeremy gave him a beaming smile.

"I know. Please let her know that I've always got her back too. Take care of her, Stefan. Elena needs a good guy like you and your the main reason that she's alive. Thank you, for saving me. For saving my sister and helping us repair our family." Jeremy told him, stepping in front of Stefan and giving him a hug.

"You're welcome." Stefan said simply, returning the gesture as he glanced over at the table and saw Elena laughing with her parents, his heart warming at the sight of her smile and the sound of her laugh.

* * *

They had spent the last two hours there. But when it was time to say goodbye, Stefan held a crying Elena against his chest as they watched her parents leave first. He slowly made his way to the car with her as she clutched onto his shirt and sniffled against it.

"Thank you." Elena said, softly. Lifting up her head from Stefan and smiling at him weakly.

"For what?" He asked her in a questionable tone as he felt her arms tighten around him in a very secure embrace when she leaned against him, whispering into his ear.

"For loving me, for always being the one who's saving me. I love you, Stefan and you're everything that I've always wanted by my side. You are my other half that I've been searching for..So, Thank you for being my savior." Elena told him, gripping onto him tighter as she exhaled into his shoulder, laying her head against him and feeling when Stefan held her tighter in his arms as he spoke.

"No, Honey. Thank you..for saving me. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead. I owe you my life, Elena. You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me and I know that we've been through hell together. But, I think that it's made us stronger, it made us realize how important our lives really are. And, that we should appreciate them." Stefan told her, backing away from Elena to look into her darkened brown eyes as she smiled at him, shyly.

"We're going to be just fine. We all are, as long as we have each other to lean on. We are going to make it. Together and one day at a time." Stefan said, kissing her softly as he watched Elena nod and smile at him.

"I know that we are. Because, in this messed up world, all of us have found something worth fighting for. Caroline has Tyler. Tyler has Caroline, Damon has Katherine and Katherine has him. Jeremy and I have each other and... Your mine and I'm yours." Elena told him, pressing her body against Stefan's as he held her in his arms, listening to her breathing, silently thanking god that he had found her, that they had each other and that even through all the chaos, their love for each other had endured so much. Because, Stefan knew that love in the time of war, in the time of disaster, was everyone's saving grace in one way or another and as Stefan held Elena tighter to his chest, he knew that he had found his reason to fight.

* * *

**So, That's it! Hope you all liked it and Hopefully, I'll have the epilogue to it in a few days or so. **

**Thanks for reading! :) **


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